Semi-Homemade Pot Pie

Okay, I finally got over the memories of baking class (and the mishap the night I posted about it). Now I can post about one of my favorite recipes. It's a super flaky pie crust that is the perfect topper for pot pies. It is SO easy to make. Don't be scared of it taking too long or being too difficult. Just remember the most important step when making pie dough: keep all the ingredients as cold as you can!

When I made it a couple of weeks ago, I didn't get the butter and shortening cold enough and it melted as I rolled it out. That just means that it didn't roll out nicely and I couldn't roll it over the pot pie nicely. It was awful. I cried. I refused to take a picture because it looked like a patchwork quilt gone very wrong. It still tasted good, but it wasn't pretty at all. Tonight's version is so much better. It's still not perfect, but it was getting hot and I had to hurry. It's after 8 PM and still 98 degrees outside (no, not the singing group) just the really hot temperature that is dangerously close to triple digits. Speaking of triple digits, it is supposed to be that way for at least the next six days. I'm not even opening blinds. I'm just going to swim for a while every day and then hide in my cold house. Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

Since I am still using food storage for most of my cooking, I used canned beef stew as the majority of the filling. This is a great way to use up leftovers! Add your favorite veggies and meats. (I don't recommend adding rice to them, however. The rice gets too mushy. Feel free to serve it with rice though. I had a roommate teach me that trick 9 years ago. It was a cheap meal for a college student and rice makes most things better. Since I wanted to lighten up the beef stew a little, I added sautéed onions, carrots, and celery. It was really good! So here we go...

Beef Stew Pot Pie

Flaky Pie Dough
10 oz flour
7 oz shortening (or a combination of shortening and butter or all butter)
1 tsp salt
3 oz cold water

Step 1. If you are using butter, dice it and leave it in the fridge until the shortening is done. If you are using shortening, there are a couple of tricks. Run it through the squares of a cooling rack and put it on a plate and in the freezer for about 30 minutes. If you don't want to use a cooling rack, you can spread it out on a plate and run a fork through it so it isn't a solid mass. (Oh how I wish I had taken a picture of this step. It sounds all sorts of confusing and it really isn't tricky.) You just want it to get cold so it doesn't melt as you mix it with the flour. Trust me.

Step 2. Dissolve the salt into the water and put it in the freezer until you bring out the shortening. You don't want it to become ice, you just want it super cold.

Step 3. I measure out the flour at this point and put it in the bowl I am going to use to mix the ingredients together. Then I put it in the fridge. Remember how I said everything had to be cold? I wasn't kidding.

Step 4. Once your shortening has been in the freezer about 30 minutes, you can mix in into the flour. I used a potato masher because I don't have a pastry cutter. It worked like a charm. You want the butter and/or shortening to be about the size of peas. Work it in pretty good so most of the flour is incorporated.

Step 5. Add the water. Mix it gently until it absorbed. Do not over mix.

Step 6. You'll never guess this step! Oh, you did. Put it in the freezer!

Step 7. This is when I made the mix for the inside of the pot pie. It's the perfect amount of time for your dough to rest and get cold again.

Step 8. Put the filling in the dish you want to bake it in. (You can use cute individual dishes, or you can take a family style approach and put in in a 9x13 pan.) Maybe I drizzled hot sauce on it before topping it with the dough. It was a good idea.

Step 9. This is when you can take your dough out. Roll it out on some flour to fit your baking dish(es). You want to roll it out to about 1/4"and turn it 90 degrees often so it doesn't stick to your counter.

Step 10. If you are using a 9x13 pan, roll the dough onto your rolling pin and roll it out onto your pan. Cut it to fit. If you are using individual pans, roll out your dough and cut the dough big enough to fit the pan. (Ok, I know this doesn't look perfect but it was SO much better than my last attempt that I didn't care about the corners needing extra pieces and that little tear in the middle. Maybe mess up your first one so the second one is killer no matter what it looks like!)

Step 11. Vent your dough. You want a place for the steam to escape. Make a couple of slits with a sharp knife.

Step 12. Bake it at 350 for about 45 minutes. You want the edges of the dough to be lightly brown. Since your vegetables and meat should already be cooked, you are just cooking the dough.

Step 13. Dish it up! Blow on it, it will be hot.

Sorry for not taking pictures of the finished product or the vent. I made it a heart. Awww. Cute. By the time it was at this point, it was getting too hot to be in the kitchen. Then our AC started acting up. It was more important for me to be happy and cool down than it was for you to see a picture. I trust that you have a good imagination. Plus you'll be making it soon so you know exactly what it looks like. Right?

Agency & The Need For Liberty

I didn't really think about the concept of liberty before I got married. I have always been grateful for the freedoms we have in our country, but I didn't really think about them. I was taught in school that the federal government was the supreme law of the land: whatever they say goes as long as we are being kept safe. They would expose our enemies and make steps to ensure we were protected from them. (Examples include invading other countries and killing threats to America before they could invade our country; everyone getting full body scans by the government before being admitted to an airport; or the recently exposed tapping phone lines without probable cause.) As long as I was safe, the federal government had every right to take away pieces of my liberty.

Well, I was wrong. One of the most interesting phrases I've heard regarding these things is that if people have nothing to hide, they won't have a problem with the government searching their phone records or carry on bags at the airport, etc. Not that it is anyone's business, but I have nothing to hide, and I have a problem with it. You should too. I would like to explain why it is more than the fact that it is illegal or inconvenient.

Before we were sent to Earth, we were in the presence of a loving Heavenly Father. He presented a plan that allowed us to come to Earth to receive a body and allow us to become like Him. Part of that plan was that we would be given agency. We would be responsible to make our own choices and would be required to deal with the consequences that are tied to our choices, whether they be good or bad.

Now to tie them all together. In order for us to be able to use our agency, we need to be free to do so. One cannot learn about the foundation of our country without realizing that it was inspired and directed by a Heavenly Father that understood just that. We needed a country that protected our right to choose. We needed a freedom of religion that allowed for the church of Jesus Christ to be restored to the Earth. I can tell you, without at doubt, that any person that has lived, does live, or will live on Earth agreed to our Heavenly Father's plan.

We all remember the alternative was that we didn't have agency and every one returns safe and sound to our Heavenly Father's presence. Of course He wants us all to return. He just knows that it is more important for us to CHOOSE to return to Him. That same concept can be transferred to our government's laws. Of course it is ideal for all of us to be safe and people to not get hurt, but it is much more important for us to be free to use our agency. If that wasn't the case, our Heavenly Father wouldn't have risked losing some of His children by giving us our agency and knowing that some would use that agency to refuse to return to Him.

After realizing how important it was to our Heavenly Father that we have our agency, it became more important to me to find examples of this as I read my scriptures. The Book of Mormon is FULL of the rise and fall of governments and talk of liberty and agency. In Mosiah 23:7-8, we read about the early days of our continent when the inhabitants were deciding on a system of government. The people wanted a king and they are told that unless they can ALWAYS have a just king who wouldn't think of himself above those he served, that they shouldn't have a king because they would be oppressed and put into bondage due to the iniquity of their king.

This is one of the reasons I think our government was set up in the way that it was. The people involved with the writing of our constitution were guided by the Spirit of the Lord as they researched ways other countries had tried to protect their freedoms. They understood that our freedom is from our Creator and that it would be important to protect that freedom in order for people to prosper and create happiness. After reading about the people in the scriptures dealing with corrupt governments, I have a better understanding of why it is important to do my part to ensure we elect men and women who are dedicated to protecting our God-given rights. It takes more than that though. We need to educate those around us to do the same because our rights are in the hands of millions of Americans who aren't aware that our liberty is so much more important than the so-called "safety" promised by our governments.

Since so many people have a say with what to do with my liberty, it is my job to let them know that I want to be free to use my agency. Please don't let money or government promised safety become more important to you. Because in the end, you will only have as much money as they think you should have and you will only be safe because they will be telling you what you can do, where you can go, what you can have, and who you can become. We all have the right to choose those things for ourselves, and it is up to us to protect those rights every way we can.

I love reading in 2 Corinthians 3:17 that liberty exists when the Spirit of the Lord is present. And since we read and hear about encroachments on our liberty every single day, I think it is safe to say that the Spirit of the Lord no longer resides in either federal or state governments. To be fair, it has been this way for a long time. I also think that there are still individuals who strive to have the Spirit of the Lord with them, but that number seems to dwindle every election. Do some research. Not just about the people who are running for office, but about what they truly believe. They can identify with any faction they want to as long as it is their goal to keep you free, to follow the Constitution as it was written instead of in ways that they will gain power.

At the end of the day, I will continue praying for those in leadership positions in our country. I will continue educating myself in matters that affect me and my family. I will continue doing everything in my power to preserve our liberty. Our agency depends on it.

Culinary School Adventures, Part 5

I have bittersweet feelings towards my Baking and Pastry class. I was super excited for this class because I LOVE baking. It fascinates me. On the first day, the instructor asked us to give a reason for being excited to bake. I told him that I was excited to learn more about the science behind baking. He bluntly told me I wouldn't learn much in this class and that if I wanted to learn that, I should have specialized in baking and pastry. (That should have been my first clue that we weren't going to be friends. More about that later.)

Baking classes are much different than any other class. It was a very nice change of pace. There is actually downtime. We would usually lecture and see a demonstration during the first part of class, then we would scale our ingredients and have time while it proofed or baked. Everything would be cleaned up and we would get to relax a while before we were done with class. Plus, we worked in groups of two for most things. I love the girl I worked with. Anita helped keep me sane in this class. We had so many good talks and laughed every day. She is the sweetest little mom! (She's only little because she's 4'11" - she has such a big heart!) She is such a hard worker. She is definitely one thing I miss about being in Arizona. We had so much fun! Also, we got to sneak leftovers out at the end of every day. (We would bake 6 baguettes at a time and dozens of cookies. Who just throws those things away? Not me!)

The first thing we learned is that the only thing we could measure by volume were egg products, dairy products, and water. Everything else had to be weighed. For the first week we had to learn the old school kind where you had a weight on one half and your product on the other and you had to make them balance. After a week, you could use a digital scale. (So much faster!) After we were taught the importance of measuring and scaling ingredients, we were let loose on biscuits, muffins, and cookies.

I felt really confident in baking because I grew up with a mom that made rolls, bread, cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, cream puffs, etc. She would let us help so I knew the processes for all of those things. I'd worked with different doughs and batters. It helped a ton because not everyone had. The one thing that worried me was plating things. I am not very creative when it comes to things like that. (If you could see the rough drawings I did for plating in my notebooks, you'd agree.)

I will definitely share recipes from baking because they are delicious and much easier than you would imagine! Just to make your mouth water: chocolate torte, french bread, brioche, croissants, turnovers, pastry creams, buttercream frostings, quiche, lemon tart, cakes, sauces (chocolate, caramel, raspberry, blueberry, etc).

The head chef in baking didn't like me. I honestly don't know why. I did all of my work, was respectful, asked questions during lectures, and aced all of my tests. He liked the way my food tasted, but he was just rude. I am actually really grateful that I don't remember all the things he said to me because he made me cry just about every day. Except now, I wish I had an example so I wouldn't sound like such a baby. I was really hard on myself in the plating portion of this class because I wanted my plates to be perfect. He got really upset with me this day because I started to cry because I couldn't cut a pretty piece of cheesecake. (I know this sounds like not a big deal, but I was still working crazy hours, I was tired, and I already felt like he hated me at this point. I just wanted to do a good job.) He kicked me out of class until I could handle being in class. So I walked outside to cool down and decided I didn't have any respect left for him and that I was done asking and answering questions. I was going to do my work and only talk to him when I absolutely had to.

After I went back to class (I wasn't going to let him win.), I plated a different dessert, which happens to be the opera torte and tuile cookie pictured below. I know it is blurry, but I took this picture with a flip phone, and this is the only way to make it big enough to see. (Remember flip phones? I finally got rid of mine about a year an a half ago. I still have a slide phone though, don't worry.) Opera tortes are 7 layers of cake, buttercream, and ganache. It is smothered in ganache, and "Opera" is piped on with chocolate. The tuile is vanilla flavored with with dots of chocolate tuile on the corners. The sauces on the plate are raspberry coulis and carmel sauce.

So I was going to surprise you all by posting a recipe from baking today. Well, I still will, but as I was making it tonight, I remembered something about Baking I wanted to tell you about. When I would work with pastry doughs, it was important to keep the ingredients really cold so the butter wouldn't melt too fast. Well, the only problem with that was that my hands were always hot! Everything melted immediately. (I still joke about that today. Holding frozen butter in my hands is the fastest way to defrost it. Weird. I know.) That just wouldn't work in school. So every day before we would start work, I would get two produce bags full of ice for my station. The first would cool down my work table and the second was so I could keep my hands cold. (Let's be honest, when I wasn't doing something for class, I was standing in the walk in freezer, holding my bag of ice so I could stay nice and cool.) I wish I would have remembered that tonight as I baked. It may or may not have ended in a melt down (haha - pun intended!) and a lack of pictures. You'll see.

Culinary School Adventures, Part Four

Culinary Foundations 3 started right after Christmas break. I took those two weeks to escape from the heat in Arizona. The only request I had for my dad and grandparents (all of whom picked me up at the airport) was that they bring me my coat. I obviously didn't need it in Arizona, but I flew into Idaho, and it was snowing. I can't tell you how excited I was! I loved cooking for my family while I was home. It was fun to tell them things I'd learned about. I relaxed for those two weeks, flew back to Arizona and started classes 3 days later.

Maybe I should have studied and stayed busy maintaining my knife skills while I vacationed. Culinary Foundations 3 was crazy hard. I don't know if I just started missing my family and snow (who would have guessed that the only winter I spent away from Utah/Idaho is the winter that breaks snow fall records) or of the class was legitimately more difficult. I am pretty sure it was a mix of the two.

Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale has two campuses. They are about a mile away from each other. The first campus has its own parking lot. The second campus is a couple of blocks away from a parking garage. I was at the second campus for Culinary Foundations 3. Let me paint a picture for you. The temperature in Scottsdale was about 70 degrees. I was wearing my whole chef outfit and had to walk a couple of blocks in the middle of the day. Then I would spend a couple of hours in a room with about 15 students running around using ovens, stoves, grills, and fryers. Then I would walk the couple of blocks back to my car. This wasn't so bad at first, but let's just say that each time the temperature rose, I walked into class looking like I just went swimming. I think I went through more deodorant in the 8 months I was in Arizona than I will ever admit.

In Culinary Foundations 3, we cooked a lot every day. We would get a list of 4 or 5 recipes each day and the instructors were more focused on plating than CF2. Plus, the chefs would try our food every day and critique us. That was super intimidating. I got a little scared reading the syllabus at first. Calves liver, sweetbreads (PS That is not a nice name for cinnamon rolls or some other delightful treat), rabbit, rack of lamb, sausage, calamari, oysters, lobster, and crab. We obviously moved on from chicken, fish, beef, and pork chops. Well, we still used them, we just got to branch out more in this class. I probably won't make most of the proteins we learned to make, but I am so glad I learned! The most important lesson from this class was to be confident in my abilities. I used to use my nose and palate, instead of measuring ingredients, to create things that tasted good to me. It changed the way I cooked.

Okay, so let's talk about the day I figured out what sweetbreads were then had to make them. I wrote down all the recipes and notes in my little notebook the night before class. That way I knew what to expect the next day and wouldn't feel overwhelmed and cry. (Yes, there was still crying in culinary school at this point.) Well, I read about sweetbreads the night before we were going to make them. It is the thymus (throat) of a calf and looks like a brain. Just because I like you, I want you to see a pretty picture of them.

It is such a crazy process. You soak it for 30 minutes, blanch it, rinse it, blanch it in mirepoix and then you clean it. It has gross membranes that you are supposed to remove. Super gross. Look at the picture and see if you can find them. (It's so much worse than cleaning chicken or pulling beards off of mussels.) Then you press the little pieces together with a weight (we let it press overnight) between two pans. After all that, you cook it. Most times, you dredge it in flour and pan fry it. Sweetbreads were the one thing I refused to try in culinary school. I ate liver, lamb, rabbit, etc, etc. I couldn't eat sweetbreads after spending 30 minutes trying to remove all those membranes. Plus my friend tried it and gagged, so there was no way I was about to follow suit. I won't EVER eat sweetbreads unless it is a life or death situation for someone I love.

The chefs all knew that I wasn't planning on a career in the culinary field. They were so great to work with me! For example, I didn't like breaking down fish when their eyes were looking at me or breaking down a rabbit. They would do those parts for me. The only downfall was that I couldn't listen to music while I cooked. That is what keeps me calmest in the kitchen.

I don't remember a lot of the day to day stuff in this class because I started working during this class. (Don't worry, I have all the recipes and notes still, so I will post recipes once we move and I stop eating my food storage.) I did taxes in the morning, went to school in the afternoon, came home and showered and went back to work for a couple of hours. After work, I would do homework, iron, and plan recipes for the next day. This is one of the reasons I didn't gain weight while I was at culinary school. I didn't have time to eat outside of school. Plus I would cool down in the pool most nights.

The best part of this class was our final. We were tested on our butchering skills. (We had to break down a chicken and a fish.) Then we had to use that chicken and fish to come up with two dishes for our final. We were given guidelines like certain knife cuts we had to use, we had to have a starch, vegetable side, sauce, and garnish. But we got to create the recipes and plates. It was delightful and the chefs loved it. I got an A on it. It was a good end to Culinary Foundations 3. I loved the chefs and this class, but I couldn't wait for my next class: Baking!

My Role

I couldn't sleep last night. After a day of crazy emotions, I was looking for some understanding and uplifting words. I started reading about Sarah and Elisabeth and thinking about whether they had days like I do. I wonder if they would cry and pray and want to hide under the covers for a day. I can't tell you for sure, but I like to think that they did. I like to think that those strong women felt as weak as I do at times. Reading their stories wasn't enough yesterday. I finally found what I was looking for in a talk given by Ezra Taft Benson when he was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

You need to read it. Take some time today, read it with an open mind and think about how it applies to you, because I promise it does. It is titled The Honored Place of Woman and is from October 1981. Because I really want you to read it, I will make it easy and give you a link to it here.

I read it to my husband around 1:00 this morning, cried a little, and couldn't stop thinking about what I read. I wish I had the right words to tell you how it made me feel. My thoughts swirled in my mind until just after 5:00 this morning. I used that time to make a list of things I want to do better. More importantly, I felt a shift in the definition of who I want to be.

I already told you that the roles I want to fill in life are those of wife and mother. I have been a wife for 20 months, and I like how I fit into that role. It is fulfilling and makes me happy. I look forward to the day I find out about how I fit into my role as a mom. In his talk, he rarely separates the two titles. In fact, he said, "Before the world was created, in heavenly councils the pattern and role of women were prescribed. You were elected by God to be wives and mothers in Zion. Exaltation in the celestial kingdom is predicated on faithfulness to that calling. Since the beginning, a woman's first and most important role has been ushering into mortality spirit sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven."

I'd never thought of it in those terms before. For a talk given in 1981, it couldn't be more relevant for 2013. I feel like the role of women is even more distorted now than it was when President Benson talked about it. Our role hasn't changed. Something else that hasn't changed is the fact Satan has been trying to destroy families since the very beginning. One of the easiest ways to do that is to convince wives and mothers that they aren't needed in their home, that they will be worth more if they are adding to their income. With the temptations and wickedness bombarding our families, President Benson had it right when he said, "Children need more of mother than of money."

After reading this talk, I don't want to just be a wife and mom. I want to be a homemaker. I'd never thought about it being different before. It's more than just cleaning, cooking, and taking care of kids. It's my responsibility to ensure my home is peaceful and productive. President Benson said this of homemaking, "Radiate a spirit of contentment and joy with homemaking. You teach by example your attitude toward homemaking. Your attitude will say to your children, "I am only a housewife" or it will convey, "Homemaking is the highest, most noble profession to which a woman might aspire." Since we know that the roles of women were prescribed before the world was created and that we were elected by God to fulfill those roles, we know that we aren't just set in the background of life.

With Satan diligently trying to tear our families apart, it is important to have a wife and mom diligently fighting back. I don't have to wait until I am a mom to make sure my home is a place of love and learning, a place of refuge and refinement. I get to make sure my home is an ideal setting for kids to learn about their Heavenly Father and how much He loves them. President Benson made a promise to women in this talk. "Home is love, understanding, trust, welcome, and a sense of belonging. If you, as wives, mothers, daughters, take proper care of yourselves, your families, and your homes, and keep close to each other as sisters in the Relief Society, many of the problems of the day troubling youth and parents will pass you by." What a relief that would be: A peaceful family and home while the world is in turmoil.

My favorite part of the talk was a story from Franklin Wilder's Immortal Mother. The son in this story is one of the great reformers, John Wesley. His mother is Susannah Wesley.

Years ago, a son wrote to his mother and asked her what she did to successfully rear her children - all nineteen of them! She wrote him this reply:

"The writing anything about my way of education I am much adverse to. It cannot, I think, be of service to anyone to know how I , who have lived such a retired life for so many years, used to employ my time and care in bringing up my own children. No one can, without renouncing the world, in the most literal sense, observe my methods; and there are a few, if any, that would entirely devote above twenty years of the prime of life in hopes to save souls of their children, which they think may be saved without so much ado; for that was my principal intention, however unskillfully and unsuccessfully managed."

This paragraph made me cry. What a humble mom. It's so true to think that so much time is given to children from their moms in the prime of their lives. I love that was willing to renounce the world to do what she thought was best for her kids. I hope that I am that kind of mom. I want to be able to set what the world thinks I should be doing aside and embrace what I know my Heavenly Father wants me to do with His children. Until I welcome kids to our home, I am going to do everything I can to strengthen my testimony of my Savior to ensure I have His support when they are here. As a homemaker, my work will never be finished. I am grateful because I know that I will never have to do this work alone.

The last thought I want to share with you is a thought from a woman that Elder Benson quoted. "The great strength of a good woman - a Saint, if you will - is her personal testimony of the Savior and her faith in his spokesmen, the prophet and the Apostles of Jesus Christ. If she follows them, she will have the countenance of Christ for her beauty, the peace of Christ to support her emotionally, the Savior's example as a means to solve her problems and to strengthen her, and the love of Christ as the source of love for herself, her family, and those about her. She can be sure of herself as a wife and mother and find joy and fulfillment in her role in the home."

I have been a little worried about this post sounding like I am giving a talk in church, but I really wanted to write my thoughts down and I want to have a record of the parts of President Benson's talk that made me feel the way I do. Don't finish reading this post and think that you don't have to read his talk. I didn't even scratch the surface. Plus the things that inspire me are probably not the same things that will inspire you.

Food Storage Remake

Tonight was my first attempt at making something creative with my food storage. Don't get overly excited. I am working with canned goods and a personal challenge to see how long I can go without going to the grocery store. I am down to carrots, celery, a couple varieties of cheese, some sliced turkey, and bottled dressings and sauces. My fridge is as empty as I've seen it since we've moved in. It's weird.

To be perfectly honest, I was only in the kitchen about 5 minutes tonight. My husband did most of the leg work for me. (Remember how you are supposed to be extra sweet to the Kraken? He always remembers and always has it turned up to 11. Tonight was no exception when he exited his comfort zone and took over in the kitchen.) He did such a good job. He doesn't enjoy cooking the way I do. He always pitches in when I don't feel well though, so I am super grateful for that. (He originally wanted to grill, but I didn't have anything defrosted or marinated, so that's tomorrow.)

Anyway, I have several cases of canned beef stew. My parents are super generous and have helped all of my siblings to build their food storage. These cases came from them. I don't love beef stew, but we joke that when it comes to our food storage, if you are hungry enough, you will eat anything. Well, I am trying to find ways to use the beef stew as something other than beef stew to keep it interesting and delicious. I have been searching for ideas for a couple of days now.

First up is to make it a soup. I know that doesn't sound very different, but imagine that the gravy it originally comes in is thinned and you add fresh vegetables to enhance the flavor and texture. That is what we did tonight. Sauté any veggies you have (onion, celery, and carrot in this case), add some garlic and beef broth and simmer until the veggies are as tender as you want them to be. Then just add the beef stew and heat it through. Done. It was easy. It tasted good. It was better than the original beef stew.

Unfortunately, I wasn't planning on blogging tonight so I didn't take photos. You will have to use your imagination and try to forgive me. I promise I will take pictures of my next idea. It should be good.

For now, I am going to curl up in a blanket (with the air conditioning and fans on), work on some crossword puzzles, and finish up the night with some FHE. Tonight, we are studying Elder Stanley G. Ellis' talk from General Conference. He is from Southern Idaho (like me), and I LOVED his message. Quick synopsis? The Lord's way is that we hearken to our leaders' teachings, understand correct principles, and govern ourselves. Read it here, and be prepared to be inspired and motivated to do a better job.

Food Storage Game

I store food. In fact, each time I go to the grocery store, I buy more than I need so I can increase my food storage. A little at a time. It can and will be used in case of emergency. (Including, but not limited to, natural disasters, loss of job, food shortages, and to help others dealing with difficulties.) It isn't just about storing food. It is about being prepared. Naturally, this means that we are also to be prepared with anything else our family might need (water, extra money, medicine, clorox wipes or other cleaning items, etc). This is something my church leaders have encouraged for YEARS. It is more than a brilliant idea: it is inspired. To learn more, please go here and read up. It is fascinating and can make a huge difference in your family's life.

Well, now my food storage is taking up my pantry, most of another closet, and there is a case of canned goods in yet another storage area. It isn't really a lot, but there are only two of us so far. I have plans for a massive pantry and cold storage area in my dream house. (Ok, so the cold storage room is mostly so I have a place to hang out in the summer and not sweat. There. I admitted it. Happy?)

Okay, now for the point of telling you all of this. We are moving in a couple of months. I vaguely remember helping my sister move. She has four kids and food storage to feed them all for months. That was a lot of boxes. Since my food storage is less than half the size of hers,  and I live up a flight of stairs, I decided to eat through our food storage in the next couple of months instead of moving it to our next house. Once we are settled, I will start rebuilding it. Until then, we are making our way through a lot of non-perishables and frozen goods. 

This game started on Monday, and I have already learned so much! First, I want more variety in my food storage. If you plan on about 3 meals a day, you will get sick of something pretty quick. Second, make sure you are only buying things you like! I already knew that, but it is definitely something to mention here. I am learning that I need to be a bit more creative with what I make out of a bunch of canned goods. I'm still working on this one. 

I wanted to be using our food storage how we would if we were dealing with an emergency, without relying on the grocery store. I haven't been to the grocery store for a proper shop in almost a month.(At first because we were going out of town and now because I want to see how long I can go.) The good news is my freezer is full of meat and veggies so not everything is coming out of a can or a box.   

I will definitely be grateful for a garden someday so I can learn to can my own food and always have fresh ingredients in the summer and fall. Until then, I will keep frequenting stores that have case lot sales. I will try to post some interesting food storage recipes. Most likely, I will continue telling you about culinary school, my random thoughts, and anything else I come up with while we eat normal, no hassle meals. Wish me luck!

Taco Soup

I've been gone a while. Did you notice? I did. My husband was in St. Louis last weekend for work. I went to Idaho to visit family. I was too busy shooting, shopping, eating, and playing to blog. It was delightful. Worst part was worrying about the tornado that hit the area my husband was in. Definitely not my favorite. I was glued to the news, waiting to hear updates. (Not that I couldn't just ask him, but I like to think he would downplay it for my benefit.) So props to those resilient enough to live in an area often visited by tornadoes. I couldn't do it.

I am posting one of my favorite first meals after a vacation. We all try to clear out our fridges before leaving on vacation and come home to a mess of unpacking, laundry, unwinding, and an empty fridge. No one wants to spend extra time going to the grocery store and cooking a fancy meal. This soup is super versatile, and I always have the ingredients in my food storage. You can add ground beef, if you are feeling ambitious. You'll notice that I wasn't. Haha!

Taco Soup
1 onion, diced
Canned tomatoes
Canned beans, drained (Use your favorite variety or whatever you have! I used black, pinto, and great northern.)
Canned corn (optional - I just like the texture and color it adds. Plus I use the liquid to add another layer of flavor.)
Cumin
Garlic powder
Chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Chicken, beef, or vegetable stock and water


Step 1. Sauté the onion in a little olive oil until they are nice and tender. Make sure you are using a big soup pot. You'll need the room, trust me. (If you are adding ground beef, add it with the onion and cook it until it is done all the way through.)

Step 2. Add the seasonings, about a pinch of each. Add the sugar here too. Mix well.

Step 3. Add the tomatoes.

Step 4. Add the beans.

Step 5. Add stock/water to cover the ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Step 6. Add the corn. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Eat with tortilla chips. Top with sour cream, cheese, cilantro or anything else that sounds good!

Tip: If you have leftovers, but not quite enough to feed your family again, add another can of beans and more liquid, if necessary, and let it simmer together for 10 minutes or so. Or just serve it over rice.

See why I choose to make this after a long trip? It is easy and tastes delicious. It is super filling and easy to transform into a second meal. (That just means you can be lazy for TWO days! You're welcome.)