72 Hour kit -6 month check

General Conference is this weekend and that is your reminder to pull out your kits and update them. Things to rotate are the food, water, clothing, and medicine.

Food
The granola bars and other items that you are rotating are perfect treats for children and yourself in between sessions of conference. In my pack there are food items that I don't normally have around the house and I look forward to rotating my kit, so that I may consume them. It's the small things in life that keep me happy.  I also included some baby food jars now that my baby is eating solids.

Water
Replace the water in your kit and make sure that it is not leaking.

Clothing
Now that the weather is starting to get cooler it's a good idea to replace the clothing that is in your kit with winter appropriate attire. Make sure that the clothing fits too.  Every time I change diaper sizes for my girl I check the clothing size in my kit and replace the small size diapers.

Medicine
Check the expiration dates on all medications in your kit. Check the items in your first aid kit to ensure they are not going to expire in the next 6 months.

Also check your car kit too. Many items from there don't tolerate the heat from your trunk and will "go bad" faster.
Remember to place your kit in an easy to access area. My kits are next to the bed.

52 Weeks to Preparedness -Week 16

FOOD STORAGE:
30 pounds of wheat or flour
EXTRA ITEM:
10 - 20 boxes of Macaroni & Cheese
72-HOUR KIT:
A suitable container for your car kit. For example an airline size carry-on bag or backpack or sturdy box with a lid that latches. Something to keep your kit items from moving around your trunk, or the back of your vehicle.
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS:
Prepare a financial profile of your family. This should include all debts and assets. List them by name and amount. Be realistic with your asset values and as exact as possible with the debts. Now subtract the debts from the assets to see a rough idea of the family net worth.
SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS:
Read D&C 109. Look for the blessings promised to those who attend the temple.

52 Weeks to Preparedness-Week 15

FOOD STORAGE:
20 pounds of sugar
EXTRA ITEM:
3 month supply of dish soap
72 HOUR KIT:
CONGRATULATIONS! You now have a basic 72- hour kit. Check it often. Change or add things as needed. Next week we will start on the car kit.
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS:
Beware of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can be deadly in large concentrations or over long periods of time in low concentrations. It is a product of incomplete combustion. Check the furnace and flue and wood stove chimney regularly. Be cautious with any open flame heating or cooking devices and never use charcoal indoors. Install at least one CO detector in your home.
SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS:
Read the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Pick one thing in your life that seems like a Goliath and work to overcome it.

52 Weeks to Preparedness-Week 14

FOOD STORAGE:
8 cans of vegetables
EXTRA ITEM:
Multi-vitamins (for 6 months)
72 HOUR KIT:
Novel to read, small game, whistle, compass, leather gloves, small cup and silverware, leatherman, knife, thermometer, zipper pull, waterproof matches, fire starter, small toys for children, credit card, cash, or traveler's checks.
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS:
A water resistant safe to protect your important papers, photos, family history and your "on hand" cash.
SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS:
Read "Slow to Anger" by President Gordon B. Hinckley, November 2007 Ensign, p. 62-66

Zaycon Foods

Zaycon is coming to Nevada!!! Zaycon Foods is a privately owned company based in the state of Washington. The company was founded in 2009 to bring fresh meats and other products direct to consumers at wholesale prices. 

I just received an email stating that Zaycon will be coming to Nevada in October and will have bulk chicken. It will be fresh boneless skinless breast for $1.69/lb. Each case is 40lbs so the total would be $67.60. 

 This chicken has never been frozen, 100% natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients. Each cardboard case weighs 40 lbs and includes four separate bags of chicken breasts, which are NOT always sealed and NOT uniform in weight.  The larger outer bag is sealed in the cardboard case.

 Chicken can easily be vacuum sealed and frozen into portions your family will eat or you can pressure can your chicken. (blog about that coming soon).

Please take their survey to let them know that Nevada wants them to come here. click here.

Other deals may be coming soon as well so go to zaycon foods and register to make sure you stay up to date on all their deals.

52 Weeks to Preparedness-Week 13

FOOD STORAGE:
8 cans of fruit
EXTRA ITEM:
8 rolls of toilet paper
72 HOUR KIT:
Disposable emergency blanket, disposable hand warmers, small radio, earplugs, safety glasses, electrical tape, flashlight with batteries, needle and thread, couple of garbage bags, extra set of keys. Place in a zip lock bag.
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS:
Secure important documents from fire, flood, etc. Using a fire proof and water tight safe. Another option is to scan items onto a disc and keep in a safe place away from the home. Maybe at a relative or friend's home.
SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS:
Read D & C 1:38

52 Weeks to Preparedness- Week 12

FOOD STORAGE:
8 cans of meat (tuna, chicken, turkey, etc.)
EXTRA ITEM:
8 rolls of toilet paper
FAMILY GEAR BOX:
Place a set of scriptures in a zip lock bag
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS:
Add a set of scriptures to your family utility box and your car
SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS:
Read D&C 88:119. Pray with your spouse as well as your family.

Applesauce

There is nothing better than homemade applesauce. My favorite apples to turn to sauce is the Fuji or Gala. I used Gala's this time. They don't get a rosy color to them in the heat of Las Vegas, but they sure taste great. Our family went to the local farm and picked a whole lot of apples. It takes about 2-3 pounds of apples per quart.
I began by washing and peeling all of my apples. I didn't have a fancy crank peeler, I peeled them all by hand :(  Then I sliced and cored them in one motion with the best tool in my kitchen.

Cook the apples in a large covered pot with just enough water to prevent sticking. As the apples cook they will produce juice which will also aid in the non sticking effort.

Don't worry about the apples browning a little, they will still taste great. Cook the apples until tender.
Then puree the cooked apples using a food processor or mill. (Or in my case a Vita-Mix).

Sure it took me a little longer to puree all the apples, but I already own the Vita-Mix and didn't want to purchase yet another tool. The Vita-Mix worked great too.

Return your pureed apples to the pot. If you desire a sweeter applesauce now is the time to add sugar. A 1/4 cup per pound of apples should be more than plenty. I find that the Gala and Fuji apples do not required additional sugar. I do like to add some spices though. cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice are great to add in the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Turn your heat up to high to bring the applesauce to a boil (212 F). Don't forget to stir to prevent sticking.


While this is preparing to boil, multi-task your attention to your jars. Are they warm enough? Are your lids in hot water ready to go?

Maintain the boil while filling your hot jars.

Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the top of the jar clean with a wet towel. Place the lid and ring on the jar and hand tighten.

Place jars in your water bath canner. Process for 20 minutes in boiling water.

I did get tired of peeling apples by hand and thought I would try a batch with the peels on.

The batch turned out just fine. The Vita-Mix annihilated any trace of peel. I will be doing it that way from now on. So much easier. But, if you have a food mill or the means to purchase or borrow one, that makes this even easier!