Welch Whirl

No big deal

Sunday I called my mom to complain that we had just gotten back into town and there was no way we could do the Food Storage Invitational, (see below for details) but then I went through my cupboards and cook books and picked out recipes for the week that I already had the ingredients for. Easy Peasy.

I got into my long term food storage and was delighted to find everything I thought I might be low on. I refilled all my sugar and flour containers and ground up some whole wheat and promptly made bread. I was feeling so confident in my supplies that I made dinner for friends and invited Aunt Keri to dinner.

Sunday menu
cereal and milk, O.J.
sandwiches and grapes
chicken fajitas (canned black beans, rice, sour cream, bell peppers, fresh mushrooms, flour and corn tortillas and shredded cheese from the freezer)
chocolate chip cookies (Ben made them)
fresh bread with homemade butter and jam (yes we make our butter)

Monday menu
Fruit Shakes and cereal and milk (I have frozen fruit coming out of my ears)
Roman noodles (yes we have to rotate them and it is Rosie's favorite noodle snack)
bottled peaches
Canned soup with homemade bread (we added canned vegetables to beef up the soup)
Ice cream for dessert

Tuesday menu
breakfast in bed for Wiley (yogurt, bananas, favorite cereal, O.J.)
Peanut butter sandwiches, (I have PB coming out of my ears too) and bananas
Chips and Salsa for my cravings
Beef Stroganoff (Sour cream, canned mushrooms, beef, egg noodles, dried onion, cream of mushroom soup)
canned green beans
bread
fruit drink mix
chocolate dipped strawberries (chocolate was in storage, strawberries happened to be an item that carried over from last week)

Wednesday Menu
Instant Oatmeal Packets with fruit and juice
Canned Soup (I have soup coming out of my ears as well)
Mac n cheese for Babysitter and kids. Blue and gold Banquet is feeding us tonight.
a decorated cake for the blue and gold banquet. (yes I have cake and frosting in storage)
Peanut butter bars and Peanut butter cookies need to be made today as well

Admittedly, this has not been hard. I don't feel like we are suffering nor is this very different from our regular meal planning although we almost always eat fresh fruits and veggies. It is just using what you already have. The church's focus on food storage is have a three months supply of the foods you already eat, and we are doing just that. I haven't even had to make powered milk yet. What has been the secret to my success?

Neighbors!!! I have been bartering for the items that I need. I got canned mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup for two jars of PB. I traded my brown rice for clementines and bananas. Then on Monday night my neighbor brought me a lb of ground beef for service that I did for her.

I have more than enough. I have enough to share and really, my feeling is, that if we actually have to use our short term food storage and long term storage I'm sure that we will be asked to share it with others. I feel great that I'm prepared enough that I could do that too. I laugh in the face of this food challenge Moaa hahaaa.

Next week when my butter runs out I may feel differently. (although, I do have powered butter in long term storage, I doubt I will get it out)

Does anyone need peanut butter or canola oil? I'm ready to barter. They need to be used. I have two and a half flats and they expire this summer so they need to be used!! (Because of the oil content in both of those items they can't ever be considered long term storage.) Oil and peanut butter both go rancid, but the smell is never an indicator. So you must rotate them faster than your basic items.