Vegetable Soup

• 1/3 c. dried vegetable flakes (any combination such as tomatoes, onion, peas, zuchinni, celery, carrots)
• 1 tbls. bulgur wheat
• 1 tbls. small pasta
• 1/4 tsp. dried sweet basil
• 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
• pinch of garlic powder and onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 c. boiling water

Place the dried vegetables in a dry blender and blend it until the size of flakes.  Measure 1/3 cup.  Save remaining vegetables for another day.  Place 1/3 cup flaked vegetables in a pint thermos.  Add parley, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Add Bulgar wheat and pasta to thermos.  Bring broth to a boil and pour over dry ingredients.  Quickly cover thermos and close securely.  Yield: 2 cups.

Creamy Country Soup

• 2 c. instant nonfat dry milk powder
• 10 tbls. cornstarch
• 1/4 c. chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tbls. dried vegetable flakes
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 2 c. boiling water

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients; cover and process until vegetable flakes are finely chopped.  Store in an airtight container for 1 year.  When ready to cook, add ingredients to boiling water and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes.

Yields: 16 servings

Cream of Potato Soup

• 1 3/4 c. instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 1/2 c. dry milk powder
• 2 tbls. chicken boullion granules
• 2 tsp. dried minced onion
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
• 2 c. boiling water

To make soup, combine ingredients into boiling water until smooth and vegetable flakes are soft.

Yields: 6 servings

Chicken and Rice Soup

• 2 c. uncooked long grain brown rice
• 1/2 c. chicken bouillon granules
• 4 tsp. dried tarragon
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 3 c. water
• 1 tbls. butter or margarine

To prepare soup: In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and 2/3 c. of the soup mix to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 mintues or until the rice is tender.

Yield: 6 servings

Hearty Bean Soup

• 2 c. dried yellow split peas
• 2 c. green dried split peas
• 2 c. dried lima beans
• 2 c. dried pinto beans
• 2 c. dried great northern bean
• 1 c. minced dried minced onions
• 1 c. dried carrots
• 1 c. dried celery
• 12 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried cumin
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 8 c. water
• 1 ham bone (for flavoring) – * This ingredient should not be stored with the ingredients, but used in the cooking process.

Combine water and soup mix in large stockpot.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender.  Remove meat from bone and return to soup.

 Creamy Cheese Soup

• 1 c. of powdered cheese
• 3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 c. vegetable soup mix
• 3 tbls. dried parsley flakes
• 3 c. dry nonfat milk, or powdered coffee creamer
•  5 tbls. cornstarch
• 8 c. boiling water

Mix all ingredients together with boiling water.  Allow soup to to combine 3-5 minutes.

Yields: 8 servings

Dehydrated soup mixes are a great way to make use of the high vegetable yields of the summer.  Additionally, these soups mixes can be stored between 6 – 12 months and would make a great addition to food stuffs for the long winter months (especially if a person is snowed in and needs something to warm them up).

The below recipes were found of the forums of  www.survivalistboards.com.

Laundry Detergent

I have used the below recipe for a little over two years now with good results.  It is cheap and easy to mix up and gets the dirt out.

Ingredients

• 1 bar of soap – whatever kind your prefer
• 1 box of washing soda – in the laundry detergent aisle of stores.  It comes in an Arm and Hammer box and will contain enough for 6 batches.
• 1 box of Borax – optional, but really kicks the cleaning up a notch.
• 5 gallon bucket with lid – or a container that can hold up to 15 liters.
• 3 gallons of tap water

Put about 4 cups of water into a pan on your stove and turn the heat up on high until it’s almost boiling.

While water is heating up, begin shaving strips off of bar soap into the water until most of the bar of soap is shaved off into the water.  Make sure the soap shavings have dissolved into the water.

Put three gallons of hot water, or 11 liters or so into the 5 gallon bucket.  Then mix in the hot soapy water from step one, stir is for a while, then add 1 cup of the washing soda.  Keep stirring it for another minute or two.  Add a half cup of borax if you are still using borax.  Stir for another couple of minutes, then allow it to sit overnight.

Once the mixture has settled overnight, it will look a pale shade of gelatinous mixture.  One measuring cup full of this mixture will be roughly what one would need to do a load of laundry. 

3 gallons of this mixture will give you 48 loads of laundry detergent.  The author of this recipe broke the cost of this recipe down and came out to 3 cents/per gallon.  Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

Fabric Softener

• 3 cups of vinegar
• 2 cups hair conditioner
• 6 cups water

Mix it all together and add to washing machine at the proper cycle.

Note - some people only use 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar as their chosen fabric softener, but the above mentioned is another version.

How To Wash Clothes Without a Washing Machine

 This video was too precious not to share.  Pioneer Living  has instructional videos on a variety of subjects .  The video below is of their daughter, Alicia teaching everyone how to properly wash clothes on a wash board.  Thanks Alicia for the great instructions!

 Yeast Bread in a Can

   

• 2 pckg. active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. warm water (110 F.)
• cornmeal
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 c. all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. warm milk (110 F.)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 tbls. water

In a large bowl, combine yeast and sugar in the water; let stand 15 minutes or until it begins to rise.

Grease the inside of 3 – 1 lb. metal coffee cans and the underside of their lids.  Sprinkle cans with cornmeal, shaking off the excess.

With electric mixer, gradually beat salt, 3 c. flour, and 1 c. milk to the yeast mixture; adding alternately and beating well.

Add 1/2 tsp. baking soda to 1 tbsp. water and dissolve.  Add this to the beaten mixture.  Beat well.

With mixer or spoon, beat the remaining 1/2 c. milk and about 1 1/2 to 2 c. flour to make a stiff dough that is too sticky to knead.

Spoon enough dough equally into cans, top with lids.  Let rise in a warm place until the lid pops off (about 45 – 60 minutes).

Carefully remove lids.  place cans upright on stove rack and bake at 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes until the bread top is golden brown.

Slide out of can to test.  Take loaves out of cans and stand upright on wire rack to cool.

Store airtight and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 4 days.  Freeze for longer storage.

Source – www.about.com

Pumpkin Bread in a Can

• 2 c. of cooked prepared pumpkin (or 1 large can of pumpkin, drained)
• 3 c. sugar
• 1 c. canola, rapeseed or extra light virgin olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 c. flour
• 1 c. raisins
• 1 c. chopped nuts, optional
• 1 tsp. each of cloves, allspice, salt, baking powder, baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat over to 35o degrees F.

Grease and flour 3 (13 oz) coffee cans (or 2 standard bread pans).

In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil and add eggs one at a time.  Set this mixture aside.  Sift flour and all spices together.

Add flour mixture and pumpkin alternately to the sugar/oil mixture.

Mix just enough to moisten all the dry ingredients; it’s better if you don’t over beat the mixture.

Add raisins and nuts. 

Pour mixture into the 3 coffee cans or the 2 loaf pans.  Stir a bit when mixture is in the cans to avoid air bubbles.

Cover loosely with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 70-80 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before loosening from the cans or pans.

Source – www.squidoo.com

Mayonnaise

• 1 whole egg
• 1 tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dash of pepper
• 1 c. oil 

Put all ingredients in the blender (except for 3/4 of the oil).

Blend together well. (about 10 seconds)

While blending, slowly add the remaining oil until the mayonnaise is thick.

*Because the mayonnaise is made with whole egg, it will have a yellow tint to it.

*Lasts 6-7 days

Source – www.recipezaar.com

 Ketchup

• 1 c. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks, broken
• 1 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 8 lbs. ripe tomatoes (roughly about 24)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (makes 1 cup)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt

*makes 2 pints

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan.

Cover and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let stand.

Wash, core, and quarter tomatoes.

Drain in a colander, discarding liquid.

Place tomatoes in a large pot.

Add onion and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil.

Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Put mixture into a food mill; discard seeds and skins.

Add sugar to the tomato juice.

Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours or until reduced by half (measuring with a ruler before beginning can be helpful).

Strain vinegar mixture into tomatoes, discarding the spices.

Add salt.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency, stirring often.

To Can:

Pour hot ketchup into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Wipe jars rims clean.

Adjust lids.

Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes (start timing when the water begins to boil).

*If ketchup is preserved through the canning method, it will last for up to 1 year.

Source – www.recipezaar.com

 Mustard 

• 1/2 c. yellow mustard seeds
• 3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 c. water
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• Your pics of spices (to taste), optional

Soak the mustard seeds in the vinegar and water, making sure the seeds are covered by the liquid.  Leave soaking for 2 days.

Add the sugar and spices to the seeds mixture.  Suggestions: allspice or turmeric.

Begin with about 1 tsp. of each spice.

Blend mixture until it reaches desired consistency, adding water if needed.

The mustard will mellow out in flavor after a day or two.

To make honey mustard: mix the completed yellow mustard with honey on a 1:1 ratio.

Source – www.simplegoodandtasty.com

 

 Pickle Relish

• 1 c. diced dill pickles
• 1/4 c. hot mustard (or sweet mustard)
• 1 tbl. pickle juice
• 1 tbl. fresh dill, chopped

Combine all ingredients, stir.

 

With food prices soaring, it is no wonder that families around the nation are trying to find better ways to budget their spending.  What better to do this than to start making your own foods and storing them away for later use.