PREP Anybody else now doing some expedited preparation shopping?

[nomifyle]

So sorry. Please forgive me if I'm looking for a zebra in a herd of ponies but imho, be honest with yourself if you notice any other symptoms. Did you fall over a rug or uneven floor? If not, (I'm not a medical person) could your fall and weak arm be "mini-stroke" related?

I pray not, but early detection means wonders. Many members here know tons more about this than I would claim to know. I hope they could remove my concern as being unnecessary.

I missed a step, and the weak arm is arthritis, confirmed by x-rays and my right shoulder is wearing out. I'm cautious about unusual happenings, I'm 72. Plus I've been having to take more than usual "sinus" medication due to allergy flairups which makes me dizzy. But yesterday I wasn't dizzy, I was hurrying and missed a step up. Thanks for your concern. Next time I go to the doctor I'm going to mention it. (appt on June 18).

Judy

 

[nomifyle]

Cheap fry bread

Here's a handy recipe everyone should remember. I say remember because it's so simple you don't need to write it down. Most of you know that I'm originally from New Orleans, so I love spices. You can make almost endless variations on this recipe with spices (or sugar to sweeten it for friend donuts). You can add some whipped egg or full cream. I'll leave the particulars to you. Here's the basic recipe and it works great to provide a cheap, filling and healthy meal:

a.) 1 cup of white flour

b.) 1 teaspoon of baking powder

c.) Add milk (or water) and knead by hand to dough consistency.

That's it. Couldn't be simpler. You can create balls of dough and smash them into patties, roll the dough out and cut into square or triangles or do anything else you can imagine. Pan fry this in vegetable oil or lard 'til done to your satisfaction. You can fry burrito shells with this and fill them with refried beans or other ingredients. You can add sugar to the dough and make powdered suger-sprinkled donuts or use the fried patties with gravy and just about any meat or just eat them as is.

The flour and baking powder has reasonable storage characteristics and you can use canned milk if you don't have fresh. As I said earlier, you can use water if you don't have milk, but milk improves the taste.

Best regards
Doc

I wonder if this recipe would work with cornmeal for fried cornbread? We are not big bread eaters, but I really do like fried cornbread (some around here refer to it as "hot water" cornbread).

Judy

 

[Quiet Man]

I do enjoy a good cup of coffee, and have a fair bit stored, but, so far, I've not found a good creamer that will keep a while. Most of the things that I've tried taste terrible.

I recently purchased Nestle' Media Crema. It's a 'medium cream' in a can. I really wanted to like it for it's creamy taste, but it left a bitter taste in the middle and back of my tongue/mouth -- presumably because of preservatives.

My next experiment is a purchase of Hoosier Hill Farm 'Heavy Cream Powder', which contains only dried sweet cream solids (no other ingredients; no preservatives). It it 72% butterfat. Shelf life is stated to be 10 mos. You can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYWVKO0

Boy, I hope that turns-out well.


Anyone out there have success with a storable coffee creamer that tastes good and is not full of low-quality ingredients/chemicals?

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I do enjoy a good cup of coffee, and have a fair bit stored, but, so far, I've not found a good creamer that will keep a while. Most of the things that I've tried taste terrible.

I recently purchased Nestle' Media Crema. It's a 'medium cream' in a can. I really wanted to like it for it's creamy taste, but it left a bitter taste in the middle and back of my tongue/mouth -- presumably because of preservatives.

My next experiment is a purchase of Hoosier Hill Farm 'Heavy Cream Powder', which contains only dried sweet cream solids (no other ingredients; no preservatives). It it 72% butterfat. Shelf life is stated to be 10 mos. You can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYWVKO0

Boy, I hope that turns-out well.


Anyone out there have success with a storable coffee creamer that tastes good and is not full of low-quality ingredients/chemicals?

Have you tried freezing it? Most things keep a long time, without going bad, if you store them in a freezer. I do cheese and butter that way.

 

[Quiet Man]

Have you tried freezing it? Most things keep a long time, without going bad, if you store them in a freezer. I do cheese and butter that way.

Normally you would be absolute right! In my household, though, the freezer is my wife's domain, and she jealously guards each cubic inch (bless her!). I'm pretty sure she would be somewhat unhappy if she found 8 half gallons of real Half & Half in there one fine morning (LOL!). I might, though, freeze some of the Heavy Cream Powder if it should prove good.

Thanks!

 

[Meemur]

Anyone out there have success with a storable coffee creamer that tastes good and is not full of low-quality ingredients/chemicals?

You may or may not like this solution -- the taste takes some getting used to -- but I stock up on canned milk right before Thanksgiving when it goes on sale for the Christmas baking season and use that for coffee and tea.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

You may or may not like this solution -- the taste takes some getting used to -- but I stock up on canned milk right before Thanksgiving when it goes on sale for the Christmas baking season and use that for coffee and tea.

I stay stocked up on canned milk, too. To keep it from having such a strong taste, I mix the canned milk with one can of water in a quart jar. I use this mixture in all of my cooking, and it works great. I drink my coffee black, but guests who use creamer, use my mixture in their coffee without complaints. I wouldn't know, though, about the taste myself.

 

[Quiet Man]

You may or may not like this solution -- the taste takes some getting used to -- but I stock up on canned milk right before Thanksgiving when it goes on sale for the Christmas baking season and use that for coffee and tea.

Thank you for the suggestion Meemur. I did try Sweetened Condensed Milk (but found it overpoweringly sweet for coffee) and Evaporated Milk before trying the Media Crema. For my taste, the Evaporated Milk wasn't creamy enough (which surprised me), and it suffered the problem that Media Crema has -- the bitter taste in the back of my mouth. Thanks for reminder about the Christmas baking season sales.

The reality is that probably, when harder times come, we will be happy with whatever we can get.

 

[hiwall]

I do enjoy a good cup of coffee, and have a fair bit stored, but, so far, I've not found a good creamer that will keep a while. Most of the things that I've tried taste terrible.

I recently purchased Nestle' Media Crema. It's a 'medium cream' in a can. I really wanted to like it for it's creamy taste, but it left a bitter taste in the middle and back of my tongue/mouth -- presumably because of preservatives.

My next experiment is a purchase of Hoosier Hill Farm 'Heavy Cream Powder', which contains only dried sweet cream solids (no other ingredients; no preservatives). It it 72% butterfat. Shelf life is stated to be 10 mos. You can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYWVKO0

Boy, I hope that turns-out well.


Anyone out there have success with a storable coffee creamer that tastes good and is not full of low-quality ingredients/chemicals?

Many companies that sell LTS foods, have some kind of milk products. I stock the Augason Farms Morning Moos. You might consider that one or one of the many others. All would have a very long shelf life (at least un-opened).

 

[Meemur]

I stay stocked up on canned milk, too. To keep it from having such a strong taste, I mix the canned milk with one can of water in a quart jar. I use this mixture in all of my cooking, and it works great. I drink my coffee black, but guests who use creamer, use my mixture in their coffee without complaints. I wouldn't know, though, about the taste myself.

I do this, too, during baking season.

 

[Quiet Man]

Many companies that sell LTS foods, have some kind of milk products. I stock the Augason Farms Morning Moos. You might consider that one or one of the many others. All would have a very long shelf life (at least un-opened).

hiwall: Are you using Morning Moo as a coffee creamer? If so, how do you like that combination?

I have, in the past, tried dehydrated milk (non-fat) and dehydrated butter (low fat), both stored in #10 cans, but found them difficult to enjoy as a coffee creamer. I have never tried Morning Moo.

Thanks.

 

[Meemur]

The reality is that probably, when harder times come, we will be happy with whatever we can get.

I lived through the last two recessions. My stomach likes a little whitener in my tea and coffee, so I learned to get used to 2% evaporated milk, which was tons better than powdered milk, which I really don't like to this day, outside of baked goods.

I absolutely love half and half and get some for the holidays, but I generally keep a years' worth of canned milk in my basement pantry because I function a lot better when I begin my day with a cup of coffee or tea.

I've used cans of milk that were 3 years old without any problems. It may even last longer, but I generally only stock one year at a time and run out of it in Mid-November in time for the sales.

Fast fact: it used to be $0.25 when I was in college . . . sometimes I can find it at Aldi in November for $0.50.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Have you tried freezing it? Most things keep a long time, without going bad, if you store them in a freezer. I do cheese and butter that way.

Frozen butter keeps wonderfully. I routinely keep both bread and butter in the freezer.

 

[Faroe]

I wonder if this recipe would work with cornmeal for fried cornbread? We are not big bread eaters, but I really do like fried cornbread (some around here refer to it as "hot water" cornbread).

Judy

We ate something similar in Venesuala (almost daily). It was made from white cornmeal and fried in grease. Tasty. These weren't tortillas, they were about an 3/4" thick at the middle, sort of hockey puck sized, shaped by hand, and pinched more at the edges. The family I was with always paired it a very strong tasting hard white cheese. Can't remember what it was called. Melodi might have more information on it.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Frozen butter keeps wonderfully. I routinely keep both bread and butter in the freezer.

Yes, it does. I have kept butter and cheese for more than two years in my freezer, and it's still good. Thing is, I have two freezers. One, I use for meat only. The second, I use it to store butter, cheese, flour, and cornmeal. I put all of the rice and dry beans in the freezer for about two weeks, before I put them in plastic storage containers. That way if any bug eggs are in any of it, the freezing process, for a few days, will kill them out. All spices and sauce/gravy mixes will keep for years in the freezer. I keep some of those in there, too.

 

[Quiet Man]

So many nice folks here on TB2K. Thanks!

I have ordered several of the Hoosier Hill Farm products. I will post back here if any turn-out to be good.

 

[nomifyle]

When I moved to New Orleans in 1971 I was anxious to be all things New Orleans and tried to drink "their" coffee, the only way I could get it down was to add cream. When I moved back to north Louisiana "their" cream was the white death in a jar and if anyone actually had milk it was always some kind of adultered skimed milk. I weaned myself off the cream and can now drink my "strong" coffee straight up black, never used sugar.

The only time I use cream is when I get coffee at the VA and they have half and half, it is okay.

Judy

 

[Quiet Man]

Oh my. My wife just took two loaf pans of Persimmon Bead out of the oven. The house smells so good.

Judy: I've thought of trying to switch to black coffee a few times, but I enjoy Half & Half in my coffee sooo... much. I've found, though, that the quality varies enormously between brands.

 

[hiwall]

hiwall: Are you using Morning Moo as a coffee creamer? If so, how do you like that combination?


Thanks.

Sorry I drink my coffee black and I never drink milk. I only use milk in cooking/baking.

 

[mecoastie]

Bit the bullet and ordered a Country Living Grain Mill and a Davebilt nut cracker. I felt like I wanted to finish up the food prep tools and those were my last 2 holes. I have a couple other grinders but wanted a top quality one and the price was right. The Davebilt will let me process acorns much more efficiently. Would like to get a broadfork and another good shovel but the funds are tapped for now.

 

[eXe]

Been stocking up here as normal, Moving a lot of the canned veggies to freeze dried as I think they taste better and dont get as soggy. Picked up some new gear as well as more canned meats. All in all even with the wife in and out of the hospital I was able to get things rotated and topped off, thankfully she is home now and is recovering with her bad ulcer she had, but she still has good and bad days with it.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Meh. My life has been one chaotic event after another the last three years that for my own sanity I have just stopped feeding on the emoting of others. I am rotating the stuff that needs rotating but that is it for us. My main job right now is getting my parents fixed up. Hubs and I went over their place, found some serious issues and a lot of delayed maintenance and we a tackling it with an eye to finish it sooner rather than later. I have also been helping by giving them some of our overstocked LTS staples that they in turn use as daily staples that cuts their grocery bill by 75 percent or better. When we have sales like on turkeys or hams I get one for us and one or two for them. Mom and I are planning a marathon week of canning in July that we will split. But all in all that is more about their health and welfare than it is about any heebies that I am feeling.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I've been sitting here making out my prep list for tomorrow's trip into town. More canned meats, canned veggies, cheese, butter, cornmeal, bottled water, jelly, metal cans for lamp oil, and a case of Rotel tomatoes. I make out a second list for normal grocery shopping.

 

[Quiet Man]

Bit the bullet and ordered a Country Living Grain Mill and a Davebilt nut cracker. I felt like I wanted to finish up the food prep tools and those were my last 2 holes. I have a couple other grinders but wanted a top quality one and the price was right. The Davebilt will let me process acorns much more efficiently. Would like to get a broadfork and another good shovel but the funds are tapped for now.

My wife loves ours. She mostly uses it to grind fresh whole wheat flour for breads. It's in the garage and setup for use at any time. We have the motor attachment, which makes it so imminently 'approachable'. I also purchased a set of spare burrs and bearings as preps. It took a while before I found a container with just the right height and volume that would fit below the grinder output and hold a full load of flower.

I do not have it, but a number of folks have said that the bean/corn auger is great to have, particularly if you enjoy cornbread.

 

[jward]

. particularly if you enjoy cornbread.

Enjoy cornbread? Lol, might be before your time, but this group put a novel length thread on the joys of cornbread!

C'mon folks, still waiting on someone or something to jog my memory re: what I need or want to buy? We have any ebola herbals or tinctures? Maybe we should be getting our herbs and spices squared away sooner rather than later, due to the weather?

Herbalcom.com is still the most reasonable, as far as I know, and the basic elderberry tincture lasts indefinitely.,.
I got some vodka, too btw, for tincturing.

 

[Quiet Man]

Enjoy cornbread? Lol, might be before your time, but this group put a novel length thread on the joys of cornbread!

LOL! You convinced me -- I've added the auger to my Amazon Save for Later list.

C'mon folks, still waiting on someone or something to jog my memory re: what I need or want to buy?

Sounds like it might not be, er, uh, your cup of tea <big warm grin>, but I have purchasing a spare furnace blower motor on my list for July.

 

[Firebird]

I did some prep shopping today, mainly to stock up on hurricane preps. I had some holes to fill, and it is tax free week for hurricane season.

 

[lostinaz]

Unfortunatley I can't Previously I could buy all kinds of stuff, but now I'm making half the wages I was making and we are holding on by our fingernails.

 

[jward]

LOL! You convinced me -- I've added the auger to my Amazon Save for Later list.



Sounds like it might not be, er, uh, your cup of tea, but I have purchasing a spare furnace blower motor on my list for July.

I actually need to replace at least one, if not both furnaces, but I am trying to wring every bit of value out of the old units. Hmm. Guess it's kind of late to wonder about potential tariff issues. Good point you raised there, and I need to give the issue thought. Thanks!

And yes, staying warm and keeping pipes from freezing is definitely in my cup...and if you mean coz imma girl....i will graciously allow that to pass w\o comment. This time ; )

 

[Quiet Man]

...and if you mean coz imma girl....i will graciously allow that to pass w\o comment. This time ; )

I didn't mean... Just playin' off of your 'herbals' comments.

Good luck with your furnaces -- Heat is definitely everyone's cup of tea.

 

[jward]

I'm just playing as well, except about being glad your comment jogged my memory.
Definitely high time 'to take another look at the risks\rewards of replacement units.

 

[Quiet Man]

I'm just playing as well, except about being glad your comment jogged my memory.

Nice. I'm glad to be getting to know you better.

Definitely high time 'to take another look at the risks\rewards of replacement units.

I don't mean to push you in the wrong 'direction' with the following comments (as I don't really know your situation), but on the subject of furnaces I think I can relate a little. My furnace is 30 years old, and as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing wrong with it. Once I had an issue with it, and had a heat/cool type of company person come to the house. He looked at my furnace, placed his finger on a component, then turned to me and said the furnace needed to be replaced. I had looked at the schematic, so knew how it basically worked. I knew immediately from where he placed his finger that he knew exactly what was wrong. He wanted $300 for the 'visit'. I sent him packing, replaced the $20 part, and everything is fine.

That's not to say that a new, high efficiency, furnace wouldn't be better, but, forgive the pun, that burned me up. And, since I love to be self-sufficient when I can, I determined to maintain it myself.

Since then, I have purchased spares for most things that would be likely to break, or might be difficult to replace in some sort of breakdown situation, like a control module, and am prepared to fix it myself. I like the simplicity of the older units; not so many weird things can go wrong. And, they were made to last (whereas, today, they are literally made to fail after a specific lifespan).

Best wishes with your situation.

 

[school marm]

Re: coffee creamer.

I have never tried this as I do not drink coffee. But I believe I read that coconut oil makes a fair coffee creamer substitute. I do know that coconut oil is an excellent substitute for butter in baking, so I can see how it might work for coffee creamer.

Also, for those of you with a Dollar Tree store in your area--last week I got small bottles (7 oz) of coconut oil for one dollar each. That's the best price I have ever seen on coconut oil in any size container.

 

[closet squirrel]

Re: coffee creamer.

I have never tried this as I do not drink coffee. But I believe I read that coconut oil makes a fair coffee creamer substitute. I do know that coconut oil is an excellent substitute for butter in baking, so I can see how it might work for coffee creamer.

Also, for those of you with a Dollar Tree store in your area--last week I got small bottles (7 oz) of coconut oil for one dollar each. That's the best price I have ever seen on coconut oil in any size container.

When I was doing Keto I used ghee in my coffee. it was a little different tasting than normal half and half, but it was good, and the fat kept me full until lunch time. Ghee can be stored a long time so it might be a good prep item for coffee as well as other things where you would use butter.

 

[Barb]

You might want to try Nido milk. It's what I use and I like it, but I'm not a creamer connisseur.

 

[CaryC]

Man you guys are going soft, and just feel that it is my duty to point that out. Give you a couple more years and you'll be millennials.

Put a pot of water on over a fire, bring to a boil, throw a handful of coffee in. Sift through your teeth. No worries.

Furnaces? What the heck is that? You guys melting iron ore? Man put you on some long handles, wrap in a blanket, and throw another log on the fire, sift your coffee, and enjoy.

Get hungry throw a slap of cow in the iron skillet place over the fire. Use pocket knife to cut.

Soft I tell ya, going soft. LOL

 

[jward]

Lol CaryC. You are right, we're lookin' for a lil bit of soft in a world that may turn granite hard on us at a moment's notice.

Also, the real difficulties I find with prepping is trying to find that sweet spot... Do I prep for the disease ridden zombie hordes, or will my shtf merely be funding my retirement.

Quiet, thanks for making those points re: furnaces. Can you believe their quoting 8yr, iirc, life spans on their units these days?!
Normally I do hold on to my oldest appliances etc, for the many great reasons you pointed out. In this case though, we have a rusted hunk of junk that really has outlived it's purpose. DH kept it running for me though, as I d wanted to do a bit of remodling
that would require moving the condensers, and I wanted to tackle everything at once.

As per quality creamer options for your coffee.... Perhaps you should add a few nigerian dwarves to your household <goat breed lol>

They're smallest sizewise, with highest %butterfat... Some communities are allowing chickens and pet goats already, some can be finessed to change ordinance, and others you'll have to pretend you got scammed, and thought you were investing in a new species of dog. They really are an excellent option for post-conflict sustainable food production- even on city lots.

 

[Meemur]

Soft I tell ya, going soft. LOL

I forgot where you live, but it gets down to -17 F out here on the prairie periodically. I know you're joking, but I take heating seriously. It's the #2 prep after stored water, above food even! That's a hard sentence for me to write. I like food! (-:

As for adding to the thread: I'm watching for deals on running shoes. I want to put away at least two more pairs. Yes, I have hiking and work boots. I'll buy clothing at thrift stores and garage sales, but I like to buy footwear new.

 

[Quiet Man]

Man you guys are going soft, and just feel that it is my duty to point that out. Give you a couple more years and you'll be millennials... Soft I tell ya, going soft. LOL

God, I took a quick glance at this while at work today and laughed right out loud! So funny!

Thank you SO much for the great laughters!

Honestly, though, in a few years I will be positively geriatric! Gotta get those treats in while I can!

 

[CaryC]

Glad y'all liked it. LOL.

However, I must stipulate that was not a joke, it's an annual festival here, called "Deer Camp". LOL

No haven't had an -17's but single digits, during Deer Camp isn't unheard of. That's when hunters turn into penguins. LOL Throw another log on the fire Jr.