Emergency Preparedness Education

  So I have to admit that although I'm doing well in the "food insurance" department, my emergency preparedness is a little lacking. Don't get me wrong, I've got a good start, but I still have a way to go.
  I often have people ask me, regarding emergency preparedness, "Where do I start?". Well, how about joining me in getting a little Emergency Preparedness Education?

Emergency Preparedness Checklist

  The American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency have teamed up to put together a fantastic checklist for emergency situations.

Shelf Reliance also has an Emergency Planner to help you customize emergency kits for your family.

Magic Mix

  A fellow consultant has posted a fantastic resource for making a Magic Mix that works great for just about anything.

Using THRIVE Tomato Powder

THRIVE Tomato Powder is one of my all-time favorite products! It is so completely versatile (which saves me money) and so easy to use. I use the tomato powder in recipes calling for tomato sauce and tomato paste. Thanks to THRIVE, I no longer waste 90% of a can of tomato paste because my recipe only called for 2 tablespoons! Now, I simply rehydrate what I need. I have not tried making it into ketchup, but hear it works great for that too!

Tomato Paste- 1/2 cup powder + 1/2 cup water (1-1 ratio)

Tomato Sauce- 1/2 cup powder + 1 cup water (1-2 ratio)

Tomato Juice- 1/2 cup powder + 5 cups water (1-10 ratio)

My favorite recipe using THRIVE Tomato Powder? Creamy Tomato Soup.

Creamy Tomato Soup

This is one of my all-time favorite soups-thank you to my mother-in-law for introducing me to it! I have altered it to use my wonderful THRIVE ingredients. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 c. THRIVE FD Onions (rehydrated with 1 c. warm water)

2 Tbsp. butter

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 c. Magic Mix + 2 1/2 c. water + 2 tsp. THRIVE Tomato Powder (you've just made two cans homemade cream of tomato soup)

4 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. THRIVE Powdered Milk (rehydrated with 1 1/2 c. water)

1 tsp. THRIVE Sugar

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

  In a saucepan, saute onion in butter about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except cream cheese. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 quarts

Want more ideas on how to use your tomato powder?

Quiche

1 c. assorted THRIVE Premium FD products (ie. Ham, Bacon, Spinach, Mushrooms, Onions)

2 c. hot water

6 Tbsp. THRIVE Whole Egg Powder

¼ tsp. THRIVE Baking Powder

½ c. THRIVE Powdered Milk (+ ½ c. water)

1 c. THRIVE Shredded Cheddar Cheese

½ tsp. THRIVE Iodized Salt

¼ tsp. pepper

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

  Prepare a pie pan with your favorite pie crust.

  Place assorted (FD) meats and veggies in a bowl; pour hot water over and stir to combine. Let the products rehydrate (about 5 minutes). Pour all but about 1 tablespoon water off the veggies; add egg powder and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and bake 30-40 minutes or until cooked through.

9 Grain Buttermilk Muffins

1 c. THRIVE Sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

8 Tbsp. water

¼ c. THRIVE Whole Egg Powder

1 c. THRIVE 9 Grain Cracked Cereal-blended to a powder

1 1/2 c. THRIVE White Flour

2 tsp. THRIVE Baking Soda

½ c. + 1 Tbsp. buttermilk (1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. THRIVE Powdered Milk + ½ c. water) + 1 ½ tsp. vinegar

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer; beat in the water. When thoroughly mixed, add egg powder and beat one minute more.

In a separate bowl, sift the 9 grain cereal powder, flour and baking soda. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the first mixture; mix at low speed until smooth. (To avoid lumps in the batter, add the dry and wet ingredients alternately, in small amounts beginning and ending with the flour mixture.)

Preheat oven to 375°. Let batter rest in mixing bowl while oven preheats.

Grease muffin tins with cooking spray or use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 2/3 full of batter.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry.

Recipe yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six jumbo-size muffins. If using the jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.

Optional: You can also make these as a spice muffin by adding ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to the batter and topping with the nut mixture listed below.

Nut Topping:

½ c. THRIVE Sugar

1 c. walnuts (finely chopped)

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Hot Pizza Dip

8 oz. cream cheese-softened                 

½ c. THRIVE Sour Cream Powder (+ 1/2 c. water-rehydrated)
1 t. dried oregano                                 

1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. dried red pepper flakes                  

¾ c. pizza sauce
½ c. diced pepperoni                             

¼ c. diced THRIVE Red and Green Bell Peppers (rehydrated with 1/2 c. hot water) 

½ c. THRIVE FD Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ c. grated parmesan cheese

 Mix cream cheese, sour cream, oregano, garlic pepper and red pepper. Add pizza sauce, pepperoni and green pepper. Spread in an ungreased 9” pie pan. Bake 350 degrees 10 minutes. Top with cheeses and bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve with slices of french bread.

Cornbread

2 c. Bisquick                                                                  4 Tbsp. THRIVE Cornmeal

¾ c. THRIVE Sugar                                                          1 tsp. THRIVE Baking Powder

1 stick margarine, melted        

3 THRIVE Eggs (3 Tbsp. THRIVE Whole Egg Powder + 6 Tbsp. water)

1 c. milk (3 Tbsp. THRIVE Powdered Milk + 1 c. water)

  Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Banana Bread

½ c. oil, scant                                                                                                    

1 c. THRIVE White Sugar

2 THRIVE Eggs (2 Tbsp. THRIVE Whole Egg Powder + 4 Tbsp. water)                   

3 c. THRIVE Banana Slices, (rehydrate with 6 c. water; pour off remaining water) mashed

2 ½ c. THRIVE White Flour                                                                         

3 tsp. THRIVE Baking Powder

1 tsp. THRIVE Baking Soda                                                                               

½ tsp. THRIVE Iodized Salt

½ c. Buttermilk (1 1/2 Tbsp. THRIVE Powdered Milk + 1/2 c. water + 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar) 

                        

  Beat together oil and sugar; add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Sprinkle with additional THRIVE White Sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.