WHEN STORING GRAINS

Grain Weevils

     
     I was recently asked about weevils by a friend.  She said she watches Doomsday Preppers and saw how this one family dealt with weevils in their massive storage of grain flours by storing in a special type of vacuum seal bucket using a pump to suck out the air.  She told me she has searched and searched & couldn't find such a thing & wondered if I knew about this.
     Honestly, I have watched Doomsday Preppers & I honestly believe  these people are not too far off the track and since no one has a crystal ball, no one really knows if there could be some type of disaster where skills such as theirs would be totally beneficial, but, for us, we don't go to that extreme.
     However, we do store a year's supply of food.  That's all.  Just one year supply of food, then we rotate it regularly, every month.  We don't store food and wait for the doomsday.  We don't store food not to rotate or eat within a few months.  We do not stockpile in case we need it or someone else needs it.  We buy in bulk, buy a lot, and use it all through-out the year.  Even wheat.
     
     So, what are weevils?  Have you ever opened a box of Bisquick or a 5 pound bag of flour and discovered those pesky little bugs, silver or beige in color, no bigger than a head of a pin & scattered in your grain flours?  They look horrifying, but they are not.  Many people have them and wonder where in the heck they came from.

     Where do they come from?  Do you ask yourself where they came from knowing that you are a clean person, have clean cupboards & shelves & never find so much as an ant crawling on your clean floor?  They came from the wheat itself.  The wheat kernel long before you purchased it.  In their larvae stage, they have attached themselves to the grain and hitched a ride from the farmer to the packaging plant to the market to your kitchen.  Given the right conditions they will hatch, mature and then feed off your flours.    

          

   Here are some facts:

      

     1.      Many weevils are damaging to crops. The grain or wheat weevil damages stored grain.

2.    Flour weevils are often found in dry foods including cereals, pastas, cake mixes, powdered milk, cornstarch, cornmeal, and flours. 

     
     How can I prevent them from hatching?  

 Barry & I buy about 200 pounds of wheat a year.  We grind what we need for the day we need it (about twice a week).  We also buy 100 pounds of white flour.  Then I open the bags, dump them into 5 gallon food-grade plastic buckets with airtight lids.  I leave one bucket for every day use so I don't re-seal that lid.  For pre-packaged dry foods or my homemade mixes, I store in mason jars or large Tupperware containers. 
     Then, BEFORE I tighten the lids, I have a time tested trick my aunt taught me:

BUY A PACK OF SPEARMINT GUM.  TAKE OUT ONE STICK OF GUM AND PUT IT RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR GRAINS, FLOURS or MIXES.  
                   -OR-
If you grow mint, cut off a sprig of mint.

Every month check your gum.  If it's hard and brittle, take it out & replace it.  If the mint leaves have dried up, take them out & replace with fresh.

     

     This method has worked for me for over 35 years and I have not had one single weevil in any of my food storage.    

Tip:  Don't spend hard earned money on fancy-smancy gizmo's.  Spearmint gum works great -- OR, grow your own mint for even more savings :)
   
      
     

   

     

Save on homemade Dishwasher Detergent

HOMEMADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT

for .01½  cents a load (no kidding)

Oxyclean, Palmolive Dishwashing detergent, Lemonaid Kool-Aid

Finished product

Left Homemade              Right Storebought 

            

     I FINALLY discovered a super cheap, super easy, super great formula for making my own dishwasher detergent!  I found a similar recipe (I will call the “Mother Recipe”) and tweaked it a bit resulting in a less expensive formula J)

  And, it REALLY does work!!!!

1.      First, go to the Dollar Tree and buy some Awesome Oxyclean – or…. Oxygen (I think that’s what its called :p)...  Cost $1.00

2.      Pick up a bottle of liquid Palmolive Dishwashing Soap.  The Mother Recipe calls for Dawn.  I tried that, but frankly, Dawn is too dang expensive.  BUT, DO NOT USE A CHEAP STORE BRAND (like Sun).  IT WILL NOT WORK...  Cost $1.00 but you only use half, so the cost is .50 for this batch.

3.      Then, when you go to the grocery store, buy yourself a dollars worth of Kool-Aid Lemon-aid.  They are .20 a pack and  you only need one pack for one batch of detergent...  Cost .20

4.     Pour the entire jar of Oxyclean into a large bowl.  Add almost half a bottle of the Palmolive.  If you have to measure, then figure ONE-HALF (1/2 ) of the liquid dishwashing soap to the Oxyclean.  So it’s a 2-1 ratio.

5.      Then dump in your Kool-Aid.  Mix really good.

6.    Pour into your containers.  The batch will harden a little overnight.  If that happens, just use a fork & break it up.  It is okay if it does this.

7.     Use one heaping teaspoon per load into your dispenser.  (I do not measure this out because I use the regular teaspoons I eat cereal with & kind of level it out, but you can experiment.)

8.   Pour ½ cup vinegar in a custard cup & place the cup on the top rack in your dishwasher.  Fill your rinse dispenser with Vinegar also.

The homemade Dishwasher Detergent measures out to be about  135 teaspoons.

You only need 1 teaspoon per load

TOTAL COST $1.70 or less than 1½  cents a load!!

 And, it REALLY does work!!!!

Save By Dining In

     

(we did & spent $1.68 for two)

 

The one thing my husband and I like to spend money on (besides Food Storage) is going to our favorite restaurant Applebees once every 2-3 months. 

We love that little restaurant because of the 2 FOR $20 MENU. You get an appetizer & 2 entrees for $20.00.  (We get the 7 oz Sirloin Steak - with veggies or the Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp - with veggies.)   Both come with mashed or baked potatoes.  For our beverage we order water with lemon slices (and make our own lemonade :p) because we don't want soda at night.

The cost for this dinner is.........$20.00

Sometimes, not always, we finish off our dinner with a Triple Chocolate Meltdown with a large scoop of ice cream that Barry & I share (only because it is sooo rich and we already have full tummy's from dinner & the appetizer).   

                                                                   Dessert Cost… $5.99

                                                                      15% Tip…… $3.99

                                                                    Total Cost… $30.00

Not bad for a nice dinner.

But, sometimes you don't have the thirty bucks to spend on dining out  - or you forgot to calendar it in.  Like our  2^nd  Anniversary.  (Don’t ask me why :p)  

So, we decided to have an intimate candlelight dinner at home.

To start the day off, my thoughtful husband went outside & cut two of the most delicate peach colored rose’s I had ever seen.  Their tender rose pedals were just beginning to open like the eyes of a newborn kitten.  In a vase they just glistened alongside two taper candles.

Then I pulled from the freezer 2 steaks my girlfriend had swapped me for a loaf of  Bonnie's Whole Wheat Bread.  My bread costs me less than .25 a loaf to make so when she offered a swap I jumped at the idea. 

Barry makes the most delicious, mouth-watering, medium rare steaks I have ever tasted.

Cost for Steaks…. .25c

For Thanksgiving we had purchased Russet Potatoes on sale for .99 for 10 pounds & still had some left.  2 potatoes weighed 1 pound.  At 10 pounds for a dollar 1 pound was only TEN CENTS.  

Cost for Baked Potatoes…. .10c

I like Sweet Potatoes so on that same Thanksgiving sale I picked up 2 large Sweet Potatoes for .50 each.   I had one left so for our “Dinner Date” I baked it for me.   

Cost for Sweet Potato…. .50c

A few days prior I ran across a super great deal at Grocery Outlet for Del Monte Sweet Peas at just .33 a can (I bought 5 cases :p).  They were pretty tasty with a little salt & a tablespoon of butter.

Cost for Sweet Peas…. .33c

  

In a basket lined with one of my prettiest linen napkins I put in some of my Homemade Whole-Wheat Dinner Rolls  (see below) that cost about .50 for three dozen.  These are sooo good you can eat them with or without butter.

Cost for Dinner Rolls…. .50c

     For dessert we had FRESH chunks of pineapple my Visiting Teacher gave me when she stopped by the day before.  

Cost for Pineapple Dessert cups…. Free

                                                                                  

TOTAL DINNER  ...... $1.68

Do we sound a little cheap?  Nope.  I  don't think so.  Frugal?  YES.  And, we are not saying NEVER to go out to eat.  We WILL and DO dine out about once a month.  But, when you just can't do that (or you want to save that money) plan ahead by building your resources and you just might have the means to Dine In for next to nothing!

HOMEMADE WHOLE-WHEAT DINNER ROLLS

 2 cups Milk (I use dry non-instant milk)

1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar, divided

1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) Butter

2 teaspoons Salt

4 1/2 teaspoons Yeast

2/3 cup Warm Water (105-115 degrees)

1 cup All-Purpose Flour

7 cups Freshly Ground Whole Wheat Flour

3 Eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS:   

• Combine milk, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts stirring frequently.  Do not cook on high or your milk will stick to the bottom & burn.  Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm by pouring into another bowl or large measuring cup.  It has to cool to lukewarm or your yeast will die.
• While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast into warm water.  Give it a quick quarter of a stir, then sprinkle on top 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Let it stand about 10 minutes & it will be very bubbly and foamy)

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour and the milk mixture. 
• Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl. 
• Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes. 
• Add beaten eggs. 
• Then stir in remaining 5 cups of flour to make a soft dough.

*NOTE- The dough will be very soft & sticky and pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  This is okay.

• Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean kitchen towel.   (Linen towels are best because they do not leave little threads).
• Rise for about 1 hour.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

•  Punch down dough, and turn dough onto a lightly floured clean surface. 
• Divide in thirds.  Grease 2-3 cookie sheets.
•  Working with each third, roll it into a rectangle and then cut into 12 equal-sized pieces.
• Take each piece into the palm of your hand and fold the corners into the center to form a ball.  They should look like large walnuts.  For bigger rolls make them the size of golf balls.
• Lay each ball down right next to each other on the greased cookie sheet with the center on the bottom.   It is okay if the sides touch.  It is BEST if the sides touch, but do not crowd them.
• Repeat with remaining dough.  
• Cover pans with clean towels, and let rise 30-45 minutes. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden-brown.

When done baking, remove rolls from oven and then brush on melted butter all over the tops!

SAVE BY BUYING IN BULK

Helloo,

     Getting ready to do some holiday baking?  Do you have your coupons in hand & your sale papers marked up?  Or, do you throw the extra sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, etc into your shopping cart while you do your regular groceries and think you've only gone over a buck or two?   Well, think again, because the average woman increases her monthly grocery bill by at least 15% on ingredients for holiday baking.

     Before you go out and spend look at the list below and compare it with what you will be paying.  After all, a penny earned is a penny saved (or something like that)and saving $60.00 this month can pay down your electric bill from last summers heat wave.

    My dau-in-law Desiree texted me last night for the prices on the following.  Desiree is a smart shopper.  She wants to know what and what not to buy that has been pre-packaged & what to get in bulk.  

     We think Winco stands in the lead for most bulk purchases so I've listed their prices here.  If you can find it cheaper anywhere else, GET IT, because you won't find them any cheaper anywhere else in our neck of the woods. 

These are Winco prices with little side notes that I think are important to know :)

Flour - .37 a pound

Baking Powder - 1.13 lb 

Baking Soda - .60 lb  -  I want to pay .50 cents a pound, so if you find it somewhere at .50 a pound, let me know.

Salt - regular iodized .24 lb -   

         sea salt .25 lb

Everyone has a different school of thought of salt.  We have both, but I only use the regular iodized in all my baking.

Cocoa - powdered - $4.35 lb 

Brown Sugar - .79 lb 

White Sugar - .59 lb (Feb 2011 the price was .46 lb*)

Chocolate Chips - $2.52 lb

Carob Chips - $2.15 lb (I use Carob & no one but my 6-yr-old g-dau Madison notices the difference.  She wrinkles up her nose & looks at me like, "what the heck is this?" - the little stinker)

Vanilla Chips $2.58 lb (I don't know if they are the same as White Chocolate Chips, but I use them in place of White Chocolate) 

Butterscotch Chips - $2.51

*I saved some of last years prices and discovered how fast some things climbed.  Knowing this has helped me plan for the upcoming year.  Since I know that 14 million corn crops were damaged this year I am planning for a spike in cornmeal, canned corn, and of course chicken bc chickens eat corn.

Let me show you how buying in bulk can really cut costs this time of the year...

I use regular flour, store-brand, unbleached that you can buy at Winco in bulk.

Flour - .37 lb at Winco right now.  (Last Feb 2010 flour was .29 lb*). 

It takes 3-1/3 cups of flour to weigh one pound.  

10 cups of flour weighs just over 3 pounds... 

So a 5 lb bag of flour is about 16-1/2 cups of flour and... 

Costs $1.85.

BUT... Gold Medal Flour in a 5 lb bag costs well over $3.00.  When you do the math, you are OVERPAYING by at least $1.15 per pound!!!!!

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT GRINDING YOUR OWN WHEAT INTO FLOUR???

My wheat grinder I got for a steal when I bought it used.  I'm sure I'll have it a lifetime.

     Wheat Berries - I buy 25 pounds of Winter White Wheat for $11.45.  That comes out to .46 per pound.  

One pound of wheat berries at .46 equals 2-1/2 cups and when you grind it it becomes 4 cups of flour.

Two pounds of wheat berries costs .92 and measures into 5-1/4 cups.  When you grind it you will have 10 cups of flour (I measured, ground & weighed this morning) that weighs a little more than 3 pounds of flour.  The final cost is .92 for 3 pounds of flour or .31 a pound!   So, when you do the math, it's way cheaper to start converting to wheat, buying in bulk & building your food storage.

http://happyherbivore.com/2011/12/baking-powder-and-baking-soda/

Baking Powder costs $1.13 pound at Winco.  Baking Powder is so lightweight, you hardly need a pound for a year of cooking, but they say not to store it longer than a year or it will go bad (but I've had mine for 3 years & it's just as active)

Baking Soda - .60 per pound at Winco.  Baking Soda lasts forever in a airtight mason jars.  I havn't found anywhere that sells in 10 pound bags cheaper than .60 lb.  I want to pay .50 lb, so if you find it somehwhere at .50 a pound, let me know.

Even at $2.,72 for 8 oz (on sale at Walmart right now) it's still a little pricey.  

The containers you buy in the store are only 8 ounces & cost over $3.00 on a normal day.  When you buy in bulk you will pay $4.35 for one pound.  8 ounces is half a pound which is $2.18 when you buy in bulk, so if you think you are finding a deal at $2.72, think again because you are overpaying by at least $1.35 a pound that is .55 per pound TOO MUCH.  Instead buy in bulk & get only what you think you'll need, then add a little bit more.  A pound of cocoa is a LOT of cocoa)

 When it comes to Brown Sugar, those 2 pound plastic bags with the zipper on top seem like a good idea because they are convenient and they store well.  Finding them on sale for $1.89 or even $1.72 for store brand seems like a good deal, but did you know that you are paying WAY TO MUCH?  

It doesn't seem pricey at the time, but when you do the math, you will discover that you are OVERPAYING  by at least .20 a pound.  

If you were to buy 5 pounds at once at .79 a pound which will be $3.95, you will have saved $1.00 (at least).  Then you can go to the Dollar Store & buy a square plastic container with an airtight lid to hold it in.  If you are worried about it getting hard, lay a piece of bread on top & this will keep it moist.  When the bread gets hard, replace it with a fresh piece.  

Last year Brown Sugar was .68 lb*.  That's a price hike of .11 cents.  If I were you, I'd get 20 pounds for my storage.

     Well, have fun shopping, baking & giving!  Hope this has helped.  If you need anymore costs per pound, or ideas how to save money, send me an email & I'll answer right away!  

Nancy
nancy.providentliving@gmail.com

SAVE BY PREPARING

     How devastating is it when a natural disaster strikes?    People lose homes, lives, possessions, jobs...  How could anyone possibly prepare for such horrible devastation?

   Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires...

    

I came across an article "Process of Preparedness" about the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.    

The devastation was horrible.

I can't imagine the fear the people experienced before, during or after Sandy hit.

     In this article, "Process of Preparedness" an amateur radio operator reported winds that were increasing in intensity with heavy rainfall & commercial power becoming intermittent.  Someone he was communicating with asked him if he was prepared for the overnight impact as the full storm came ashore.  He said he was prepared, had food for several months & water for several weeks.    
     Here on the west coast I have never experienced hurricanes or tornadoes, only mild earthquakes.  Several years ago I was talking to a bank teller who had the cutest little southern accent, saying she was from Mississippi.  She said - with a chuckle - that Californians are in a country all their own and that she's scared to death of the California earthquakes.  I said I was more scared of a tornado or hurricane.  She answered, "Well, at least we have a warning!  You Californians never know when an earthquake is going to hit".  
     Good point.  Who really knows?  Even when there's a warning, how fast can you move?   It's hard to say, but for us, planning and preparing ahead of time takes the edge off of worrying.   And, if you are fortunate enough to have survived a disaster, then your food storage, water supply and emergency packs will mean EVERYTHING to you - and to your neighbor who  didn't or couldn't prepare. 
    As the story in the article Process of Preparedness continued, another operator asked  him if he would need any help in the morning and his answer was, "My family is prepared, and tomorrow we will help others"  
     The article goes on to say, "Common sense tells us that when we are prepared, we are able to then help others. If we are not prepared, we are often dependent on others for help"  and "We are encouraged to plan and prepare and consider having a three-month supply of food, drinking water, financial reserves, medical and first aid supplies, and clothing and bedding"

                                       
      Lds.org says, “Members of the Church have been counseled for many years to be prepared for adversity. Preparation, both spiritual and temporal, can dispel fear. With the guidance of Church leaders, individual members and families should prepare to be self-reliant in times of personal or widespread emergency.   Widespread emergency.  Dispel fear.  Widespread emergency.

     How do we do this?  Church members are encouraged to prepare a simple emergency plan.       
     This is in no way discrediting anyone for their hardship or devaluing anyone's efforts in their split-decision making during that time.  It is not saying that if you prepared calamity would not have happened to you.  Our hearts go out to all those who've suffered and lost.  Our prayers have been with you all.  What we are simply saying is by preparing when there's a calm before the storm, you may be fortunate enough to survive the storm and if you do your preparation will help you and someone else.

          For more information on how you can prepare click on this link: 
     Preparing for the ups and downs of life - Robert D. Hales

                             

                              or 

  
        http://providentliving.org/self-reliance 


Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
 


Nancy and Barry
          

Save When You Stock UP

Total spent $30.54
(11 lbs pasta, 30 lbs flour, 32 lbs sugar)

     Everytime we find a sale Barry and I stock up.  We shop the 1st of the month for our monthly groceries and then when we find sales during the month we head to the stores for those rock bottom prices.

     Today's shopping trip yielded ELEVEN POUNDS of pasta (elbow macaroni and pennete) for .66 a pound.  My favorite store Winco's cost is .96 a pound in the bulk isle.  

     We also got THIRTY POUNDS OF Springfield Flour for just under .30 a pound - Winco's flour in the bulk isle is .39 a pound, but if you buy 50 lbs it is .37 a pound - still thats a savings of .07 to .10 a pound.  

     And, THIRTY TWO pounds of C & H Sugar was only .45 a pound - Winco was .61 a pound in the bulk isle. 

     We only needed 12 cans of corn @ .39 a can because after doing inventory this morning we discovered we had already met our quota for the year on corn, but another 12 cans at that price wasn't going to hurt us.

     Dating and rotating them will take the most time, but what-the-hey, we couldn't have done better!!

     Desi called today and said Ralphs is having a special on Swanson Chicken Broth for .49 a can.  That's a really good deal - will have to add to my supply.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, always have your eyes open for discounts and sales.  And then, stock up.  

You will be glad you did :)

      

Save By Following Sales & Using Coupons

     Going grocery shopping in our valley has it's limitations, for sure.  Barry and I watch Extreme Couponers on TLC thinking that we will one day figure out their trick (but we never do).  We have our notebooks, marker, pencil, sale papers, scissors, etc. but our pile never looks like theirs :(

     We once even subscribed to the local paper and even solicited friends for their papers, but, to our dismay, we discovered that our stores in our valley will NOT double coupons and will NOT allow you to clear their shelves in one sweep and if the ad says, "5 items per customer" don't think you're gonna fool the cashier into thinking that you are shopping for 10 friends and want to put the total cost on only one bank card.  Nope.  (But, some very friendly stores will allow you to buy as many cases as you want - Save-A-Lot is one of those wonderful stores and last month I bought 52 cans of Green Beans for .50 a can).

     So, stopped subscribing to the local paper (the monthly cost was NOT cost effective for the savings we'd get on just a few items).  I quit calling friends.  Instead, Barry bought me a laser black & white printer for dirt cheap on Ebay & one year later I only had to replace the toner cartridge ONE TIME @ a cost of $15.00!!!  So, I print my own coupons now & save the cost of ink (by-the-way, my printer paper was bought on sale with my rewards card at Walgreens last year for dirt cheap so I have a lot).

     When the sale papers arrive, Barry and I sit down with our black markers & circle only the items we use and that are dirt cheap.  If they don't meet that criteria, we don't buy.

    All in all, we do a pretty good job and shopping.  This week we got some pretty super-duper deals for our food storage.  

STATER BROTHERS:  Betty Crocker Cake Mixes are .89 a box.  We didn't really need more cake mixes because in September we bought Pillsbury cake mixes for .69 a box & stocked up.  But, with the average price of $1.00 + we thought we'd add more to our storage.

VONS  Vons doesn't always have the lowest prices in town, but now and then they havea few specials and when you combine them with your coupons you can really get a good deal.  For instance, this week:I have 2 coupons for Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for .40 off when you buy 2.  So, with 2 coupons, I can buy 4 cans and get .80 off.  Vons is offering buy 1 at $2.99 and get 2 free, so if I guy 4 @ $2.99 my price will be $11.96, but if I take off .80 for my coupons my cost will be $11.16, BUT I will get 8 free!!!!  FINAL COST .93 each.  Also at Vons, Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup is on sale for .80 ea (buy 5) minus my coupon for $1.00 off on 5 = Final Cost .60 a can. 

                                       


SMART AND FINAL  Ground beef is $1.89 lb sold in 5 lb chubs.  This is really a good deal.  We take it home, divide each chub 4 times, lay it on foil, flatten with the palm of our hand, wrap it up & store 3 packages each into one zip freezer bag.  Chicken at Smart & Final is .75 a pound and they are sold in a package of 2 leg quarters each.  

CARDENAS Canned corn is .39 a can.  This is really a good deal and time to stock up since our corn prices are going to skyrocket by 2013.  

So, don't forget to buy a case (or 2) of whatever is on sale dirt cheap.  Date it & store it, use it & replace it!!  Soon, you'll have your very own little grocery store right at your fingertips :)