Here's a big welcome to our newest advertiser--Ready Made Resources. They have worked with us here on giveaways in the past and have some fantastic gear and the knowledge to go with it, so if you've got any questions on the products they sell, the folks at Ready Made Resources should be able to help you out.
And it just so happens that right now they're having their last sale of the year on Mountain House foods. They have them available in the #10 cans which are great for storing or feeding just you or your whole family and they're on sale for 25% off regular prices. PLUS they're offering free shipping on full cases. A case is 6 cans mix or match, so any increment of 6 cans (6, 12, 18, 24, etc.) gets you free shipping! Great savings here and Mountain House is my favorite brand of freeze dried meals for flavor. So, since National Preparedness month is starting tomorrow, you might just as well get some preparing done and get yourself some quick and easy meals in a can with 25% off and free shipping on cases! Be sure to let them know Angela sent you. :)
And speaking of National Preparedness Month, we've got some fun things planned so stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tattler Reusable Canning Lids
We do a lot of canning here. And the thought has always followed that in an emergency situation, canning things would be impossible without a good supply of canning lids. The jars and rings can be re-used, but the lids are supposedly a one time use deal. So we stock canning lids in the food storage. A bunch of them. But even those will eventually run out and then canning as a preservation method is done.
So one day, sweet husband got searching the internet (which is usually a dangerous thing) and found Tattler Reuseable canning lids and of course we had to give them a try. The Tattler company was gracious enough to send me some wide mouth and some regular mouth lids to review. I used them to can blueberry jam. I'll post the blueberry jam tutorial later, today we're just discussing the very cool lids.
The lids come in 12 packs, just like regular canning lids. Tattler also offers bulk pricing on them. Each lid is two pieces, the white plastic "lid" and the rubber ring gasket. You will need to have the screw on metal band that came with your jars if you bought them new. The bands are also available from Ball/Kerr as boxes of lids with bands. If you've been canning for a while you probably have plenty of the bands around.
The Tattler lids are available for regular or wide mouth jars and fit all standard canning jars like Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, etc. And at approximately $7.00 per dozen regular mouth and $8.00 per dozen wide mouth, it will only take 2-3 uses to make them less expensive to use than the standard canning lids.
So here's the instructions for using them:
Prep your jars as usual (wash, sterilize, etc.). Put the Tattler lids and rubber gaskets in a pot of hot water and heat almost to boiling. The box says "scald lids and rubber rings".
Now, their box says to leave the lids and rings in the hot water until you're ready to use them, but the little printout instructions they sent said to take the rings out and let them cool before using them, leaving the lids in the hot water. I didn't read the box until after, so I took the rings out and let them cool. I'll have to try the next batch leaving the rings in the water.
When you've got your food in your jars, wipe the rims of the jars, stick the rubber rings on the lids and put the lids on the jars. Use the screw band to tighten it all up. So far so good, right? Pretty much like using any other lid except for the part of having to assemble them before putting them on the jar.
Now, here's something new. After you've got the lid screwed on, turn the metal band back 1/4 inch. That's one quarter of an inch, not one quarter turn. It doesn't turn back very much, just a little bit.
Now the jars are ready to process in your canner. These lids are supposed to work for either water bath or pressure canning. I'll try pressure canning something with them another time. Jam goes in the water bath canner, so that's what we did. Process your food however that food is supposed to be processed. This jam was in the canner for 10 minutes.
When the jars are done processing, here's the other change. TIGHTEN the lids up when you pull the jars out of the canner. Regular lids you don't tighten when they come out of the canner, but these lids you tighten.
Let them cool at room temperature and the lids kind of suck down. I was a little thrown off by there being no "popping" sound, but they did look sucked down when they were done cooling.
To open the bottle, use a butter knife (nothing sharp) and stick it between the rubber ring and the jar and you'll break the seal. I had to take a lid off already because I wanted to give some jam to a friend, but didn't want to give them the lid. Really, they wouldn't know what to do with it. Okay, maybe after reading my post they would, but that's not the point. The point is I took a lid off.
To use it again, Tattler recommends putting the ring on the opposite direction that it was the last time you canned with it. You can see the little grooves the white lid leaves in the rubber ring if you look close--those will let you know which way to set the rubber ring next time. The next two pictures show the rubber ring taken off the lid and turned over to show the grooves. You can see the grooves better in real life than they are showing up in the pictures. You might have to get your reading glasses out, but you'll be able to tell which way the ring went so you can turn it over next time. (If you click the pictures they enlarge and you can see the grooves a little better.)
All my jars sealed fine. I've got them in the food room with the other jams and jellies now. Impressive. Why didn't I hear about these lids sooner? If I'd purchased them when I started canning it would have saved me a ton in purchasing lids over the years. And fewer old lids in the trash can. Plus it solves the problem of running out of lids in the emergency supplies.
Having canned for a long time, there are a few things I'll have to get used to when using these lids.
1. I can't just sharpie the product and date on the lid since I'll be re-using it. I had to get labels out.
2. I'll have to can some things with regular lids to give as gifts since I really don't want to be giving my special lids away.
3. I'll have to find a new method of storing my jars since right now I have way more jars than reusable lids, so screwing a lid on each jar to store it isn't going to work.
4. I need a tote or something to keep the reusable canning lids in since I don't know how many times I'll be able to just put them back in their original box before the box falls apart.
None of those things are worth too much though when you consider the longevity of the Tattler Reusable Canning Lids and not having to worry about your lid supply if there is no more grocery store deliveries.
A few more notes about the lids that might be of interest: They are BPA free, made of FDA and USDA approved materials, dishwasher safe, and indefinitely reusable. The rubber rings are supposed to last 20 years or more before needing replaced. Definitely worth looking into.
I'll be canning a few more things with my samples, then picking up some more of these for our canning supplies. What do you think?
So one day, sweet husband got searching the internet (which is usually a dangerous thing) and found Tattler Reuseable canning lids and of course we had to give them a try. The Tattler company was gracious enough to send me some wide mouth and some regular mouth lids to review. I used them to can blueberry jam. I'll post the blueberry jam tutorial later, today we're just discussing the very cool lids.
The lids come in 12 packs, just like regular canning lids. Tattler also offers bulk pricing on them. Each lid is two pieces, the white plastic "lid" and the rubber ring gasket. You will need to have the screw on metal band that came with your jars if you bought them new. The bands are also available from Ball/Kerr as boxes of lids with bands. If you've been canning for a while you probably have plenty of the bands around.
The Tattler lids are available for regular or wide mouth jars and fit all standard canning jars like Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, etc. And at approximately $7.00 per dozen regular mouth and $8.00 per dozen wide mouth, it will only take 2-3 uses to make them less expensive to use than the standard canning lids.
So here's the instructions for using them:
Prep your jars as usual (wash, sterilize, etc.). Put the Tattler lids and rubber gaskets in a pot of hot water and heat almost to boiling. The box says "scald lids and rubber rings".
Now, their box says to leave the lids and rings in the hot water until you're ready to use them, but the little printout instructions they sent said to take the rings out and let them cool before using them, leaving the lids in the hot water. I didn't read the box until after, so I took the rings out and let them cool. I'll have to try the next batch leaving the rings in the water.
When you've got your food in your jars, wipe the rims of the jars, stick the rubber rings on the lids and put the lids on the jars. Use the screw band to tighten it all up. So far so good, right? Pretty much like using any other lid except for the part of having to assemble them before putting them on the jar.
Now, here's something new. After you've got the lid screwed on, turn the metal band back 1/4 inch. That's one quarter of an inch, not one quarter turn. It doesn't turn back very much, just a little bit.
Now the jars are ready to process in your canner. These lids are supposed to work for either water bath or pressure canning. I'll try pressure canning something with them another time. Jam goes in the water bath canner, so that's what we did. Process your food however that food is supposed to be processed. This jam was in the canner for 10 minutes.
When the jars are done processing, here's the other change. TIGHTEN the lids up when you pull the jars out of the canner. Regular lids you don't tighten when they come out of the canner, but these lids you tighten.
Let them cool at room temperature and the lids kind of suck down. I was a little thrown off by there being no "popping" sound, but they did look sucked down when they were done cooling.
To open the bottle, use a butter knife (nothing sharp) and stick it between the rubber ring and the jar and you'll break the seal. I had to take a lid off already because I wanted to give some jam to a friend, but didn't want to give them the lid. Really, they wouldn't know what to do with it. Okay, maybe after reading my post they would, but that's not the point. The point is I took a lid off.
To use it again, Tattler recommends putting the ring on the opposite direction that it was the last time you canned with it. You can see the little grooves the white lid leaves in the rubber ring if you look close--those will let you know which way to set the rubber ring next time. The next two pictures show the rubber ring taken off the lid and turned over to show the grooves. You can see the grooves better in real life than they are showing up in the pictures. You might have to get your reading glasses out, but you'll be able to tell which way the ring went so you can turn it over next time. (If you click the pictures they enlarge and you can see the grooves a little better.)
All my jars sealed fine. I've got them in the food room with the other jams and jellies now. Impressive. Why didn't I hear about these lids sooner? If I'd purchased them when I started canning it would have saved me a ton in purchasing lids over the years. And fewer old lids in the trash can. Plus it solves the problem of running out of lids in the emergency supplies.
Having canned for a long time, there are a few things I'll have to get used to when using these lids.
1. I can't just sharpie the product and date on the lid since I'll be re-using it. I had to get labels out.
2. I'll have to can some things with regular lids to give as gifts since I really don't want to be giving my special lids away.
3. I'll have to find a new method of storing my jars since right now I have way more jars than reusable lids, so screwing a lid on each jar to store it isn't going to work.
4. I need a tote or something to keep the reusable canning lids in since I don't know how many times I'll be able to just put them back in their original box before the box falls apart.
None of those things are worth too much though when you consider the longevity of the Tattler Reusable Canning Lids and not having to worry about your lid supply if there is no more grocery store deliveries.
A few more notes about the lids that might be of interest: They are BPA free, made of FDA and USDA approved materials, dishwasher safe, and indefinitely reusable. The rubber rings are supposed to last 20 years or more before needing replaced. Definitely worth looking into.
I'll be canning a few more things with my samples, then picking up some more of these for our canning supplies. What do you think?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Interesting Little Tidbit
Now here's an interesting (albeit kind of disgusting) bit of information for you. If your kids find a corn worm while you're all shucking corn and decide to keep it as a pet in a jar with a bit of corn so it has something to eat and then put it somewhere that you don't find it until three weeks later when they go back to school, the worm will not live, but some of the corn will try to grow (along with plenty of moldy stuff). Gross. Thanks kids for the science experiment.
Interesting, no? I'm sure you'll find that information useful sometime in the future. Just file it under "nastiness".
Interesting, no? I'm sure you'll find that information useful sometime in the future. Just file it under "nastiness".
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Squash Bugs
Let me just begin by saying I despise squash bugs. I don't remember having any trouble with them in our garden when I was growing up in Colorado, but they have been a constant nuisance since I've been gardening in Utah.
The first year sweet husband and I planted a good sized garden, we found these very cool little eggs on the bottom of our squash leaves.
They are usually laid in kind of a pattern and most times follow the veins of the squash leaf. Interesting. So, being the curious people we were, we thought we'd let them hatch and see what came out. Dumb. Don't do this. If you find some strange eggs in your garden, go look it up on the internet (which, by the way, wasn't nearly so full of information then) and maybe you'll end up here reading about squash bugs! DO NOT just let them hatch--get a sharp stick or rock and smash them! The eggs range from cream colored to very dark brown. The darker they are, the closer they are to hatching. Most times they are laid on the underside of a leaf, but some times they are on the stems as well. Just smash them all. It will probably destroy a little piece of your leaf, but don't worry about it. Sometimes I've found a leaf that is particularly heavily infested. I'll just take that leaf off the plant and destroy the whole thing. Most squash plants have plenty of leaves--they won't miss that one.
If you do let the little eggs hatch, or if you've been slacking on your squash bug squashing, you'll find these super creepy little grey bugs with black legs crawling around.
Don't make them your pets, smash them. You could also use some type of insecticide on them that works on squash bugs. I haven't found any that isn't just as much hassle as squashing the stinky little bugs since it has to be sprayed right on them and not just in their general direction. I really don't like using bug spray either, so we generally just stick to squashing them. Maybe you know something that works, I'm open to suggestions. These little guys will kill your squash plant. Yes, we had them crawling all over our squash plants that year and the plants withered and died and we had no zucchini to leave on our neighbors' doorsteps. Something's just not right about that.
Now, the eggs and the little creepy guys all come from big squash bugs that look like this:
They are commonly found hooked together, making fertile eggs, but are also found wandering around your squash plant single. They like the leaves, the stems, and the squash and can also be found around the plant on the ground. You'll find them when you're looking under the leaves for eggs. Smash them. They stink when they get smashed. Maybe hire your kids to squash them. Make it your family night activity to squash the squash bugs and their eggs. We have. Yeah, we're cool parents like that. Whatever you do, don't let them live and propagate out of curiosity! No good comes of it.
The first year sweet husband and I planted a good sized garden, we found these very cool little eggs on the bottom of our squash leaves.
They are usually laid in kind of a pattern and most times follow the veins of the squash leaf. Interesting. So, being the curious people we were, we thought we'd let them hatch and see what came out. Dumb. Don't do this. If you find some strange eggs in your garden, go look it up on the internet (which, by the way, wasn't nearly so full of information then) and maybe you'll end up here reading about squash bugs! DO NOT just let them hatch--get a sharp stick or rock and smash them! The eggs range from cream colored to very dark brown. The darker they are, the closer they are to hatching. Most times they are laid on the underside of a leaf, but some times they are on the stems as well. Just smash them all. It will probably destroy a little piece of your leaf, but don't worry about it. Sometimes I've found a leaf that is particularly heavily infested. I'll just take that leaf off the plant and destroy the whole thing. Most squash plants have plenty of leaves--they won't miss that one.
If you do let the little eggs hatch, or if you've been slacking on your squash bug squashing, you'll find these super creepy little grey bugs with black legs crawling around.
Don't make them your pets, smash them. You could also use some type of insecticide on them that works on squash bugs. I haven't found any that isn't just as much hassle as squashing the stinky little bugs since it has to be sprayed right on them and not just in their general direction. I really don't like using bug spray either, so we generally just stick to squashing them. Maybe you know something that works, I'm open to suggestions. These little guys will kill your squash plant. Yes, we had them crawling all over our squash plants that year and the plants withered and died and we had no zucchini to leave on our neighbors' doorsteps. Something's just not right about that.
Now, the eggs and the little creepy guys all come from big squash bugs that look like this:
They are commonly found hooked together, making fertile eggs, but are also found wandering around your squash plant single. They like the leaves, the stems, and the squash and can also be found around the plant on the ground. You'll find them when you're looking under the leaves for eggs. Smash them. They stink when they get smashed. Maybe hire your kids to squash them. Make it your family night activity to squash the squash bugs and their eggs. We have. Yeah, we're cool parents like that. Whatever you do, don't let them live and propagate out of curiosity! No good comes of it.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Family Survival Training with Airsoft
Today we have a special guest post from John Durfee. I'm not experienced with airsoft much and he's got some real good ideas here. Thanks, John. Enjoy :)
Family Survival Training
You've been watching him from your post for about ten minutes now. Your ingenious buddies knew of an old deer stand, which has made for an incredible lookout. He hasn't noticed you and has been resting by the bank of the stream catching his breath- your friend did pursue him for almost an hour. He's filling up his canteen and you know it's time, you have the perfect shot with him crouched over absorbed in what he is doing. You carefully and slowly raise your rifle, aim and "Crack" "Crack" "Hit!" You've taken out another one, now only two to go!
What I've just described isn't the latest Hollywood action film: it's the sport of Airsoft, and while fun, can be a valuable tool in teaching real world skills and be great for families.
A Little History
Airsoft originated in Japan in the late 1970's. Japanese law after World War II prevented civilian ownership of firearms, so companies started to produce air powered realistic looking replicas for public use. Over time, clubs began to develop, and the sport of airsoft was formed. In the United States, airsoft had only had a small following up until the late 1990's. This was because the only manufacturers of airsoft were from Japan and Taiwan, and importing airsoft guns was on a small scale because of their high initial prices and need for specialized knowledge. In the past decade however, the sport has developed from a small niche in the sporting market to a very popular sport and tactical simulation tool. Because of recent robust and more affordable designs coming out of neighboring China, airsoft has become hugely accessible to the public. There are fields and stores nationwide that are helping to spread the excitement and knowledge of this fun and safe sport.
What it's about
Airsoft is different from air rifles and pellet guns in that they use standardized 6mm plastic bb's that weigh far less than metal pellets or sabots, and are perfectly safe in a controlled play environment.
Airsoft is preferable to paintball to train with because the equipment requirements and initial cost are much lower. For airsoft electric guns (AEGs), only bb's, a battery, and a charger are needed. With gas powered airsoft, you'll need bb's and green gas (the pressurized gas needed to run the guns) Also, its cleaner than having to wash all your clothes after a day of play.
There are an increasing number of airsoft clubs and organizations that put together multiple day events that can be attended for a set fee. They're run on weekends, usually centered around military scenarios, and the core skills practiced are valuable to real world preparedness. There are varying degrees of immersion, varying from "play and go back to the car for a snack" to full milsim, where one acts, functions, and performs like a real military force for the entire duration. The former are great for family outings, as you can walk out between games at your leisure. Airsoft also teaches proper weapon usage, maintenance, and safety precautions. Most airsoft guns in the mid-range price look, feel, and function as close to the real steel guns as possible. Some airsoft pistols even disassemble the same way as the real thing! You're allowed to become familiarized with firearms and learn how to use them properly.
Valuable Lessons
Airsoft is safe, but it does require a certain level of responsibility and honesty. People need to call out when they are hit. This is a great structured way to teach kids concepts such as fair play, gun safety, and sportsmanship. Family ties are brought together as you rely on each other and work as a team. With all the running around it provides a great workout for everyone: dad gets in his cardio and the kids and burn off their energy. And sibling rivalry can play itself out in new and interesting ways.
For parents it provides an opportunity to train as close to real self defense scenarios as possible. In the case you ever do need to put these skills to use, you'll do it having practiced it before, and the more you play, the more ingrained these self defense procedures become.
The most important thing these events teach is mindset. You have to work in a team, placing your trust in each other. You have to be constantly aware of your surroundings, as your family trusts you to be a set of eyes and ears. You learn to distinguish between friend and foe. You'll hone your aiming and marksmanship skills on real targets who will react and move. You'll train yourself how to respond - rather than react – to surprises and potential threats. And if you're "killed" you can learn from your mistakes, and do better next time.
To be honest airsoft bb's can have a bit of a sting to them. But throwing on a heavy sweater or light jacket will make sure you feel them, but it will be more of a poke than a pinch. And remember the cardinal rule, ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION, while they may not have weight, bb's fly very fast and you need to protect your eyes and those of your family.
Where to play
Most airsoft fields (indoor and outdoor) have an open entry policy, you can play for a few hours, and go home. Many paintball fields are now becoming dual use fields, for both airsoft and paintball so you might want to call any local places to confirm.
Try googling the term 'airsoft' and your state, you'll find forums where people get together and arrange outings. Airsplat has a site with a comprehensive listing of fields across the US. So get out there with your kids and have a safe and fun time!
(PS Always check with your local law enforcement about regulations, wear proper eye protection and NEVER try to modify the orange tips on your airsoft gun.)
John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation’s largest retailer of Airsoft Guns and Apparel.
Family Survival Training
You've been watching him from your post for about ten minutes now. Your ingenious buddies knew of an old deer stand, which has made for an incredible lookout. He hasn't noticed you and has been resting by the bank of the stream catching his breath- your friend did pursue him for almost an hour. He's filling up his canteen and you know it's time, you have the perfect shot with him crouched over absorbed in what he is doing. You carefully and slowly raise your rifle, aim and "Crack" "Crack" "Hit!" You've taken out another one, now only two to go!
What I've just described isn't the latest Hollywood action film: it's the sport of Airsoft, and while fun, can be a valuable tool in teaching real world skills and be great for families.
A Little History
Airsoft originated in Japan in the late 1970's. Japanese law after World War II prevented civilian ownership of firearms, so companies started to produce air powered realistic looking replicas for public use. Over time, clubs began to develop, and the sport of airsoft was formed. In the United States, airsoft had only had a small following up until the late 1990's. This was because the only manufacturers of airsoft were from Japan and Taiwan, and importing airsoft guns was on a small scale because of their high initial prices and need for specialized knowledge. In the past decade however, the sport has developed from a small niche in the sporting market to a very popular sport and tactical simulation tool. Because of recent robust and more affordable designs coming out of neighboring China, airsoft has become hugely accessible to the public. There are fields and stores nationwide that are helping to spread the excitement and knowledge of this fun and safe sport.
What it's about
Airsoft is different from air rifles and pellet guns in that they use standardized 6mm plastic bb's that weigh far less than metal pellets or sabots, and are perfectly safe in a controlled play environment.
Airsoft is preferable to paintball to train with because the equipment requirements and initial cost are much lower. For airsoft electric guns (AEGs), only bb's, a battery, and a charger are needed. With gas powered airsoft, you'll need bb's and green gas (the pressurized gas needed to run the guns) Also, its cleaner than having to wash all your clothes after a day of play.
There are an increasing number of airsoft clubs and organizations that put together multiple day events that can be attended for a set fee. They're run on weekends, usually centered around military scenarios, and the core skills practiced are valuable to real world preparedness. There are varying degrees of immersion, varying from "play and go back to the car for a snack" to full milsim, where one acts, functions, and performs like a real military force for the entire duration. The former are great for family outings, as you can walk out between games at your leisure. Airsoft also teaches proper weapon usage, maintenance, and safety precautions. Most airsoft guns in the mid-range price look, feel, and function as close to the real steel guns as possible. Some airsoft pistols even disassemble the same way as the real thing! You're allowed to become familiarized with firearms and learn how to use them properly.
Valuable Lessons
Airsoft is safe, but it does require a certain level of responsibility and honesty. People need to call out when they are hit. This is a great structured way to teach kids concepts such as fair play, gun safety, and sportsmanship. Family ties are brought together as you rely on each other and work as a team. With all the running around it provides a great workout for everyone: dad gets in his cardio and the kids and burn off their energy. And sibling rivalry can play itself out in new and interesting ways.
For parents it provides an opportunity to train as close to real self defense scenarios as possible. In the case you ever do need to put these skills to use, you'll do it having practiced it before, and the more you play, the more ingrained these self defense procedures become.
The most important thing these events teach is mindset. You have to work in a team, placing your trust in each other. You have to be constantly aware of your surroundings, as your family trusts you to be a set of eyes and ears. You learn to distinguish between friend and foe. You'll hone your aiming and marksmanship skills on real targets who will react and move. You'll train yourself how to respond - rather than react – to surprises and potential threats. And if you're "killed" you can learn from your mistakes, and do better next time.
To be honest airsoft bb's can have a bit of a sting to them. But throwing on a heavy sweater or light jacket will make sure you feel them, but it will be more of a poke than a pinch. And remember the cardinal rule, ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION, while they may not have weight, bb's fly very fast and you need to protect your eyes and those of your family.
Where to play
Most airsoft fields (indoor and outdoor) have an open entry policy, you can play for a few hours, and go home. Many paintball fields are now becoming dual use fields, for both airsoft and paintball so you might want to call any local places to confirm.
Try googling the term 'airsoft' and your state, you'll find forums where people get together and arrange outings. Airsplat has a site with a comprehensive listing of fields across the US. So get out there with your kids and have a safe and fun time!
(PS Always check with your local law enforcement about regulations, wear proper eye protection and NEVER try to modify the orange tips on your airsoft gun.)
John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation’s largest retailer of Airsoft Guns and Apparel.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Travel Tips for Surviving the Family Road Trip
We've got a road trip planned next week. We're cheap/frugal/poor, so we don't usually fly anywhere, we just go places within driving distance. We do road trips more often than anything. We also don't have a TV/DVD in the car and our kids don't have Nintendo DS's, mp3's, or anything electronic. And usually we all arrive unscathed. Well, at least we're all still alive when we get there. So before we leave, here's a few tips to help your family survive those long road trips.
Here are a couple of ways to save some cash on your trip:
1. Stay with family or friends. We'll be gone 7 days and only one night is in a hotel. Hotels aren't cheap. Even cheap hotels aren't cheap. Especially when you have to leave in the middle of the night after finding bed bugs crawling on your pillows and check into a nicer hotel. Yep, done it.
Family or friends are usually glad to offer you a place to stay if they know you're coming through town, and sometimes they'll even feed you! And even if they can't have you stay, it's a good idea to stop and visit with them so they don't hear on Facebook that you came through their town and didn't even call! Don't be totally cheap here, do offer to pay for food, help with chores, or whatever they might need while you are there. And of course offer to return the favor if they're ever in your area.
2. Pack food and snacks. Make some cookies before you go. Or rice crispy treats. Or muffins. Try to avoid foods that get smashed or melt easily. Taking the family out to eat three times a day for a week will add a TON of money to your travel costs. Plan on eating out a few times, but pack some sandwich stuff, bagels and yogurt for breakfast, and snacks so you don't have to buy everything on the road. You might even pack a camp stove and some Mountain House meals. If it's a long trip, usually half way through you can hit a grocery store for more bread, fruit, etc. You'll want to re-stock the ice in the cooler anyway, and it's still cheaper than eating out.
3. Don't drive the gas guzzler. This may sound like a given, but if you're taking a camping trip, maybe the roads are good enough to drive your car instead of your suburban. Give it a thought before loading up the big ol' beast and spending three times as much for gas.
And now for some ideas to keep the kids from killing each other in the car.
1. Play classic games like I Spy, 20 Questions, etc. One we like is "I'm going on a picnic" where we take turns saying things we'll take on our picnic--one for each letter of the alphabet. Then each turn you have to remember everybody else's picnic items before adding the next letter item. Fun. With smaller kids you can do this one and skip having to recite all the other letter items. You can twist up I Spy by using colors, "starts with" some letter, or using things inside or outside the vehicle (I Spy outside in a Wyoming snowstorm using colors is pretty limited, but add the inside of the car and things get a bit better).
2. Write every passenger's name on one car tire with sidewalk chalk before you leave. Every time you stop, see whose name is on the top of the tire. Celebrate with a treat or something or just keep a count of who ends up on the top the most.
3. Play telephone. Or have one person write a word with their finger on the next person's arm and pass the word that way across the seat. Have the last person guess what the original word was. OR write letters on each other's backs and guess what they are. It's harder than it sounds.
4. Get a map of where you are going. If you're ahead of the game, you can order maps from each state's tourism department. Otherwise, buy a map. If you've got an "Are we there yet?" kid, this is $5 well spent. Mark your route. Have them navigate or count towns or answer questions about where we are.
5. Plan some surprises. My mom would circle random towns on the trip and when we got to that town she'd pull a "Razzle Dazzle Travel Gift" out of the trunk. These were things like a treat, or a small toy, lego kit, something to keep us busy for a while and break up the monotony. A couple of my favorites were plastic army men and rubber bands so we could set them up and shoot them down (in a van before the days of seatbelt laws) and bubbles we could use with the air conditioner vents. Total driver distractions, but SO fun as a kid. You can probably come up with things that aren't so dangerous ;)
5. Stop at rest stops and let the kids run around. Yes, this adds time to your trip, but kids need exercise! You can read the Historical marker while they run around the car 29 times.
6. Take some magazines. Crossword puzzles or word searches for the older kids. Other game magazines are good also. Magazines and books to read are also good if your kids don't get carsick. One game that kept our kids busy for hours used a magazine and a sticker. Stick the sticker somewhere in the magazine and have the kid find it. They might want to place the sticker somewhere else and have you find it (if you're not driving) or you can just re-stick it somewhere different for them to find or have them hide it for each other.
7. Sing songs. Get a handful of CD's or load up your ipod with music you all can enjoy and sing away. The people driving next to you won't notice, I promise. Well, unless you have your windows down.
8. Give the kids a pencil and paper and let them draw what they see or write notes or draw monsters or whatever. As simple as this is, it has been a lifesaver on some of our trips. One paper game we played was where one person drew the head of a monster and folded the paper over, then the next person drew a body and they got to open it and look at their creation and laugh. Kept them busy for quite a while.
9. Do some research about where you are traveling, or have the kids do some and be the tour guide.
10. Play license plate games. Find a license plate from as many states as possible and keep a list. Make words from the letters on a license plate. So if the plate is 142MNY, you could use MNY to make a word like MoNeY or you could use MNY to make a phrase like My New Yucca.
11. Let the kids take their pillows, stuffed animals, etc. and have blankets available for enforced quiet time in the car. You'll probably need some. We usually offer some reward for so many minutes of silence. It's totally worth it.
Just so you know, these are not fail proof. We still have the "she's touching me" and "he's breathing my air" times. But we're a lot better equipped to handle them if we've got an arsenal of activities and ideas to keep boredom at bay in the car.
I will be gone next week celebrating 15 sweet years with my hubby and a couple of birthdays and the end of summer break, but still have posts scheduled that I'm sure you'll enjoy, so be sure to check back in. We'll be playing I Spy. :)
Here are a couple of ways to save some cash on your trip:
1. Stay with family or friends. We'll be gone 7 days and only one night is in a hotel. Hotels aren't cheap. Even cheap hotels aren't cheap. Especially when you have to leave in the middle of the night after finding bed bugs crawling on your pillows and check into a nicer hotel. Yep, done it.
Family or friends are usually glad to offer you a place to stay if they know you're coming through town, and sometimes they'll even feed you! And even if they can't have you stay, it's a good idea to stop and visit with them so they don't hear on Facebook that you came through their town and didn't even call! Don't be totally cheap here, do offer to pay for food, help with chores, or whatever they might need while you are there. And of course offer to return the favor if they're ever in your area.
2. Pack food and snacks. Make some cookies before you go. Or rice crispy treats. Or muffins. Try to avoid foods that get smashed or melt easily. Taking the family out to eat three times a day for a week will add a TON of money to your travel costs. Plan on eating out a few times, but pack some sandwich stuff, bagels and yogurt for breakfast, and snacks so you don't have to buy everything on the road. You might even pack a camp stove and some Mountain House meals. If it's a long trip, usually half way through you can hit a grocery store for more bread, fruit, etc. You'll want to re-stock the ice in the cooler anyway, and it's still cheaper than eating out.
3. Don't drive the gas guzzler. This may sound like a given, but if you're taking a camping trip, maybe the roads are good enough to drive your car instead of your suburban. Give it a thought before loading up the big ol' beast and spending three times as much for gas.
And now for some ideas to keep the kids from killing each other in the car.
1. Play classic games like I Spy, 20 Questions, etc. One we like is "I'm going on a picnic" where we take turns saying things we'll take on our picnic--one for each letter of the alphabet. Then each turn you have to remember everybody else's picnic items before adding the next letter item. Fun. With smaller kids you can do this one and skip having to recite all the other letter items. You can twist up I Spy by using colors, "starts with" some letter, or using things inside or outside the vehicle (I Spy outside in a Wyoming snowstorm using colors is pretty limited, but add the inside of the car and things get a bit better).
2. Write every passenger's name on one car tire with sidewalk chalk before you leave. Every time you stop, see whose name is on the top of the tire. Celebrate with a treat or something or just keep a count of who ends up on the top the most.
3. Play telephone. Or have one person write a word with their finger on the next person's arm and pass the word that way across the seat. Have the last person guess what the original word was. OR write letters on each other's backs and guess what they are. It's harder than it sounds.
4. Get a map of where you are going. If you're ahead of the game, you can order maps from each state's tourism department. Otherwise, buy a map. If you've got an "Are we there yet?" kid, this is $5 well spent. Mark your route. Have them navigate or count towns or answer questions about where we are.
5. Plan some surprises. My mom would circle random towns on the trip and when we got to that town she'd pull a "Razzle Dazzle Travel Gift" out of the trunk. These were things like a treat, or a small toy, lego kit, something to keep us busy for a while and break up the monotony. A couple of my favorites were plastic army men and rubber bands so we could set them up and shoot them down (in a van before the days of seatbelt laws) and bubbles we could use with the air conditioner vents. Total driver distractions, but SO fun as a kid. You can probably come up with things that aren't so dangerous ;)
5. Stop at rest stops and let the kids run around. Yes, this adds time to your trip, but kids need exercise! You can read the Historical marker while they run around the car 29 times.
6. Take some magazines. Crossword puzzles or word searches for the older kids. Other game magazines are good also. Magazines and books to read are also good if your kids don't get carsick. One game that kept our kids busy for hours used a magazine and a sticker. Stick the sticker somewhere in the magazine and have the kid find it. They might want to place the sticker somewhere else and have you find it (if you're not driving) or you can just re-stick it somewhere different for them to find or have them hide it for each other.
7. Sing songs. Get a handful of CD's or load up your ipod with music you all can enjoy and sing away. The people driving next to you won't notice, I promise. Well, unless you have your windows down.
8. Give the kids a pencil and paper and let them draw what they see or write notes or draw monsters or whatever. As simple as this is, it has been a lifesaver on some of our trips. One paper game we played was where one person drew the head of a monster and folded the paper over, then the next person drew a body and they got to open it and look at their creation and laugh. Kept them busy for quite a while.
9. Do some research about where you are traveling, or have the kids do some and be the tour guide.
10. Play license plate games. Find a license plate from as many states as possible and keep a list. Make words from the letters on a license plate. So if the plate is 142MNY, you could use MNY to make a word like MoNeY or you could use MNY to make a phrase like My New Yucca.
11. Let the kids take their pillows, stuffed animals, etc. and have blankets available for enforced quiet time in the car. You'll probably need some. We usually offer some reward for so many minutes of silence. It's totally worth it.
Just so you know, these are not fail proof. We still have the "she's touching me" and "he's breathing my air" times. But we're a lot better equipped to handle them if we've got an arsenal of activities and ideas to keep boredom at bay in the car.
I will be gone next week celebrating 15 sweet years with my hubby and a couple of birthdays and the end of summer break, but still have posts scheduled that I'm sure you'll enjoy, so be sure to check back in. We'll be playing I Spy. :)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Catch Up--Mostly on the Garden
Holy buckets! Things have been a little crazy here lately. I keep thinking maybe after (insert event, month, etc. here) things will slow down, but it seems they never do. Things just change and I get a different kind of crazy.
The garden this year is fair. I've got peas that have gone to seed so we'll collect some of those when they're all dry. The peppers, onions, and tomatoes that I grew from seed are doing well, but nothing's ripe on them yet. The late frost took anything that might have grown on our fruit trees--even our apple tree in the yard that always has little apples on it doesn't this year. We'll be hunting some down come fall. I was able to get a little box of apricots from a friend (who doesn't live around here) which we just ate because I love fresh from the tree apricots and haven't had them for a few years. Also got some corn that was over-ripe, so instead of freezing it, it's drying in the shop for cornmeal. Got a bunch of green peppers from the same friend and from the Bountiful Baskets food co-op that I participate in every other week or so and dehydrated them all. They are so handy dehydrated. I really don't like them well enough to get them eaten fresh before they go all slimy in the fridge and turn into chicken food, so for me, drying them is usually the way to go. Yep, I'm linking you to posts from last year, some things are very cyclical--it's the same process this year as it was last year, just looks a little different because the peppers are a different shape and the corn is yellow.
I've got radishes going to seed that hubby almost pulled out as some kind of weed he'd never seen before and sure didn't want propagating in our yard. Thankfully he asked me what they were first. Same deal on the garden huckleberries I grew from seed. He was ready to get rid of those as he had never seen them before and assumed they were some kind of invasive plant. With as fragile as those seedlings were, I'm glad he thought to check with me before eradicating them. A few of them are actually ripening. They are small, black, really sweet, and seedy. We'll probably make jelly with them. As my son told the UPS guy, "my mom can make jam out of anything".
The beans I planted were supposed to be bush beans. Bush beans work particularly well in my garden bed system. Pole beans do not because I have nothing for them to climb. Well, the two varieties of beans I planted next to each other that were supposed to be bush beans are shooting climbing tendrils out all over the place. Turns out they must be pole beans even though they were advertised as bush beans. I have nothing for them to climb except the stray tall weeds that I just pulled out, so now they're climbing each other. What a mess! I only have them growing for dry beans anyway, so I guess we'll pick through it all at the end of the season when they're dry to get the beans out. Hassle, hassle, hassle.
Enough about my garden. Just kidding. There's more. The carrots, beets, and swiss chard I planted are all doing fine. In fact, the chard is crazy and probably needs eaten. The beets are eatable also--I'll have to take a picture of these, they're some fancy variety. I really don't need more beets in my freezer, but when I saw these special beet seeds I had to give them a try just for fun. The purple beans are happily growing also. Squash is way behind, but we're finally getting crooknecks out of them. We've been doing pretty well with the squash bug patrol this year. I despise those stinky bugs.
Okay, maybe that's all about the garden now. Except the stunted corn that is growing and thankfully is a short season variety because we got it in so late, so it's possible we'll get corn out of it this year before it freezes this fall. We also got a couple more fruit trees planted, both pears. And amazingly (or not), the weeds are also doing fine.
Did you get a garden in this year? How is yours faring?
The garden this year is fair. I've got peas that have gone to seed so we'll collect some of those when they're all dry. The peppers, onions, and tomatoes that I grew from seed are doing well, but nothing's ripe on them yet. The late frost took anything that might have grown on our fruit trees--even our apple tree in the yard that always has little apples on it doesn't this year. We'll be hunting some down come fall. I was able to get a little box of apricots from a friend (who doesn't live around here) which we just ate because I love fresh from the tree apricots and haven't had them for a few years. Also got some corn that was over-ripe, so instead of freezing it, it's drying in the shop for cornmeal. Got a bunch of green peppers from the same friend and from the Bountiful Baskets food co-op that I participate in every other week or so and dehydrated them all. They are so handy dehydrated. I really don't like them well enough to get them eaten fresh before they go all slimy in the fridge and turn into chicken food, so for me, drying them is usually the way to go. Yep, I'm linking you to posts from last year, some things are very cyclical--it's the same process this year as it was last year, just looks a little different because the peppers are a different shape and the corn is yellow.
I've got radishes going to seed that hubby almost pulled out as some kind of weed he'd never seen before and sure didn't want propagating in our yard. Thankfully he asked me what they were first. Same deal on the garden huckleberries I grew from seed. He was ready to get rid of those as he had never seen them before and assumed they were some kind of invasive plant. With as fragile as those seedlings were, I'm glad he thought to check with me before eradicating them. A few of them are actually ripening. They are small, black, really sweet, and seedy. We'll probably make jelly with them. As my son told the UPS guy, "my mom can make jam out of anything".
The beans I planted were supposed to be bush beans. Bush beans work particularly well in my garden bed system. Pole beans do not because I have nothing for them to climb. Well, the two varieties of beans I planted next to each other that were supposed to be bush beans are shooting climbing tendrils out all over the place. Turns out they must be pole beans even though they were advertised as bush beans. I have nothing for them to climb except the stray tall weeds that I just pulled out, so now they're climbing each other. What a mess! I only have them growing for dry beans anyway, so I guess we'll pick through it all at the end of the season when they're dry to get the beans out. Hassle, hassle, hassle.
Enough about my garden. Just kidding. There's more. The carrots, beets, and swiss chard I planted are all doing fine. In fact, the chard is crazy and probably needs eaten. The beets are eatable also--I'll have to take a picture of these, they're some fancy variety. I really don't need more beets in my freezer, but when I saw these special beet seeds I had to give them a try just for fun. The purple beans are happily growing also. Squash is way behind, but we're finally getting crooknecks out of them. We've been doing pretty well with the squash bug patrol this year. I despise those stinky bugs.
Okay, maybe that's all about the garden now. Except the stunted corn that is growing and thankfully is a short season variety because we got it in so late, so it's possible we'll get corn out of it this year before it freezes this fall. We also got a couple more fruit trees planted, both pears. And amazingly (or not), the weeds are also doing fine.
Did you get a garden in this year? How is yours faring?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Dehydrating Pineapple
Pineapple is one of those foods that are really well suited for dehydrating. They are easy to prepare and get super sweet when they're dried. Great for snacking or putting in trail mix, granola, breads, etc. I'm sure you want some, so here's how you do it.
First, get a pineapple. Or two or three. I just had one. If you're doing two or three, you'll want to wash your hands frequently as you're cutting them or wear gloves as they are highly acidic and it will start burning your hands.
Peel, core and slice your pineapple. There are tools for this, but I just use a knife. If I did a lot of pineapples, it would probably be worth getting the peeler/corer tool. I cut the top and bottom off, then cut the peel off, then cut it in half from top to bottom, then cut each half in half (so the whole pineapple is quartered), then cut the core section off each quarter. Then I cut each quarter in half again before I started cutting the chunks. You can make your pieces whatever size or shape you want. If they're all close to uniform thickness, they'll dry more evenly.
Now, put your slices on the dehydrator tray. Pineapples have such a high acidity that there is no need to pre-treat them with fruit fresh or other stuff. In fact, I've used pineapple juice as a pre-treater for other fruits before. Not perfect, but it preserved color better than just drying them without dunking in pineapple juice.
I dehydrated the slices with the blueberries since I had extra trays available. 135 degrees about 16 hours in my Excalibur dehydrator. They were crispy. If you don't want them crispy, just check them more often than I did and turn the dryer off when they're at the chewiness you like.
They come off the trays nicely. Put them in whatever you're storing them in. Hide them from the snackers or leave them out and let them get eaten. Yes, that's the whole pineapple in that pint jar minus about 6-7 chunks we snacked on before I got the picture taken. Strange but true. Dehydrating is like magic. Yummy magic.
First, get a pineapple. Or two or three. I just had one. If you're doing two or three, you'll want to wash your hands frequently as you're cutting them or wear gloves as they are highly acidic and it will start burning your hands.
Peel, core and slice your pineapple. There are tools for this, but I just use a knife. If I did a lot of pineapples, it would probably be worth getting the peeler/corer tool. I cut the top and bottom off, then cut the peel off, then cut it in half from top to bottom, then cut each half in half (so the whole pineapple is quartered), then cut the core section off each quarter. Then I cut each quarter in half again before I started cutting the chunks. You can make your pieces whatever size or shape you want. If they're all close to uniform thickness, they'll dry more evenly.
Now, put your slices on the dehydrator tray. Pineapples have such a high acidity that there is no need to pre-treat them with fruit fresh or other stuff. In fact, I've used pineapple juice as a pre-treater for other fruits before. Not perfect, but it preserved color better than just drying them without dunking in pineapple juice.
I dehydrated the slices with the blueberries since I had extra trays available. 135 degrees about 16 hours in my Excalibur dehydrator. They were crispy. If you don't want them crispy, just check them more often than I did and turn the dryer off when they're at the chewiness you like.
They come off the trays nicely. Put them in whatever you're storing them in. Hide them from the snackers or leave them out and let them get eaten. Yes, that's the whole pineapple in that pint jar minus about 6-7 chunks we snacked on before I got the picture taken. Strange but true. Dehydrating is like magic. Yummy magic.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Dehydrating Blueberries
This is one of those projects that was really so easy it shouldn't deserve its own post, but here it is anyway. Dehydrating blueberries.
First, get some blueberries. It really doesn't matter how many, but the more the merrier. Wash them and pick out any that are squishy or bad.
Now get a pot of water boiling. If you've got a collander that can fit into a pot, use that pot. It doesn't have to be too big, but you'll have to dip the blueberries in and pull them out, so get a pot big enough to do that. I only had a little collander that could go in the boiling water so it was a little awkward, but it worked. I just did then a few at a time. It would have been really quick if I could have dunked the whole bunch at once. I put a hot pad on after this batch.
The blueberries need their skin cracked so the moisture can escape and they can dry. You're going to crack the skin by dipping them in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds and then pulling them out. It's easier than putting a little slice in each berry for sure. The berries darken up in the water.
After the berries are out of the water, put them on your dehydrator trays, spread them out so they're not all piled on each other, and dry them.
In my Excalibur I dried them at 135 degrees until they were chewy but not soft. It took overnight plus about 3 more hours the next morning--probably 16 hours total.
They can be used in pancakes, muffins, granola, etc. or just eaten plain. I had to hide these because they kept getting eaten. Yummy and super easy way to preserve blueberries. Little wrinkled balls of goodness.
Enjoy your dehydrated blueberries as long as you can keep them hidden from the little snackers. :)
First, get some blueberries. It really doesn't matter how many, but the more the merrier. Wash them and pick out any that are squishy or bad.
Now get a pot of water boiling. If you've got a collander that can fit into a pot, use that pot. It doesn't have to be too big, but you'll have to dip the blueberries in and pull them out, so get a pot big enough to do that. I only had a little collander that could go in the boiling water so it was a little awkward, but it worked. I just did then a few at a time. It would have been really quick if I could have dunked the whole bunch at once. I put a hot pad on after this batch.
The blueberries need their skin cracked so the moisture can escape and they can dry. You're going to crack the skin by dipping them in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds and then pulling them out. It's easier than putting a little slice in each berry for sure. The berries darken up in the water.
After the berries are out of the water, put them on your dehydrator trays, spread them out so they're not all piled on each other, and dry them.
In my Excalibur I dried them at 135 degrees until they were chewy but not soft. It took overnight plus about 3 more hours the next morning--probably 16 hours total.
They can be used in pancakes, muffins, granola, etc. or just eaten plain. I had to hide these because they kept getting eaten. Yummy and super easy way to preserve blueberries. Little wrinkled balls of goodness.
Enjoy your dehydrated blueberries as long as you can keep them hidden from the little snackers. :)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Mountain House for Breakfast: Breakfast Skillet Wrap Review
Remember Monday's post on our Mountain House dinner? Well, the next morning we had freeze dried Mountain House breakfast that the sweet folks at Mountain House sent us to sample. The kids wanted oatmeal, so we heated up water for mom and dad's Mountain House Breakfast Skillet Wrap and for the kids' oatmeal and for the dishes and washing up. All in the same pot.
Same deal as last time. While the water's heating, start cleaning up camp or change a diaper or get the kids' shoes on or just hang out. Once it's boiling, tear open the easy open pouch. The pouch is flared at the bottom to hold itself up on your table or lack thereof.
After getting the measuring water thing wrong last time, I put on my thinking cap and found something to measure with this time--one of the kids' 12 oz. Nalgene cups. It just so happened this pouch needed 12 oz. of water, but there are enough ounce marks on the side of the Nalgene bottle to measure if I needed a different amount of water.
Add the water to the pouch and mix it all up.
Seal it with the ziplock seal at the top of the pouch and let it sit for 8-9 minutes while you get your fishing gear together and hunt down the kids at the fort they're building in the woods. Come back and open the pouch.
This time it was the perfect consistency to spread on a tortilla, so sweet husband and I had breakfast burritos. He added salsa, I ate mine as it came out of the pouch. Again, I thought there was plenty of food for both of us. I guess if you eat a whole lot, one pouch would only fill one of you, but for the average folks, one pouch is good for two servings.
I stuck the pint jar of salsa there for scale--these were not your average tortillas. You can't even see the plate under it. We got two servings like this out of one Mountain House Wraps pouch.
Now, just because it says to put it on a tortilla, doesn't mean you have to. This would have been perfectly fine just on a plate with a fork or eating it right out of the pouch. It had scrambled eggs, hash browns, pork sausage, peppers and onions in it. Satisfying enough to head out for a day of fishing. :)
Here's the quick benefits of using Mountain House freeze dried foods:
1. You don't have to pack much in your cooler. Just make sure you have enough water packed or a source for water.
2. They are EASY to cook. No slicing, dicing, getting your hands covered in raw hamburger, etc. Boil water, add water, wait, done. Left lots of time to be doing other things.
3. They cook up pretty darn quick. Not much waiting for your meal.
4. Not much for dishes. Actually almost none if you eat out of the package.
5. Not much waste either. Once the food was eaten, all we had to throw away was the package it came in.
6. You don't have to worry about them going bad by the end of the week. Super for long term trips where the meat in the cooler (like sausage) is always iffy by the end.
Mountain House meals are available from Mountain House or from most outdoor retailers.
Same deal as last time. While the water's heating, start cleaning up camp or change a diaper or get the kids' shoes on or just hang out. Once it's boiling, tear open the easy open pouch. The pouch is flared at the bottom to hold itself up on your table or lack thereof.
After getting the measuring water thing wrong last time, I put on my thinking cap and found something to measure with this time--one of the kids' 12 oz. Nalgene cups. It just so happened this pouch needed 12 oz. of water, but there are enough ounce marks on the side of the Nalgene bottle to measure if I needed a different amount of water.
Add the water to the pouch and mix it all up.
Seal it with the ziplock seal at the top of the pouch and let it sit for 8-9 minutes while you get your fishing gear together and hunt down the kids at the fort they're building in the woods. Come back and open the pouch.
This time it was the perfect consistency to spread on a tortilla, so sweet husband and I had breakfast burritos. He added salsa, I ate mine as it came out of the pouch. Again, I thought there was plenty of food for both of us. I guess if you eat a whole lot, one pouch would only fill one of you, but for the average folks, one pouch is good for two servings.
I stuck the pint jar of salsa there for scale--these were not your average tortillas. You can't even see the plate under it. We got two servings like this out of one Mountain House Wraps pouch.
Now, just because it says to put it on a tortilla, doesn't mean you have to. This would have been perfectly fine just on a plate with a fork or eating it right out of the pouch. It had scrambled eggs, hash browns, pork sausage, peppers and onions in it. Satisfying enough to head out for a day of fishing. :)
Here's the quick benefits of using Mountain House freeze dried foods:
1. You don't have to pack much in your cooler. Just make sure you have enough water packed or a source for water.
2. They are EASY to cook. No slicing, dicing, getting your hands covered in raw hamburger, etc. Boil water, add water, wait, done. Left lots of time to be doing other things.
3. They cook up pretty darn quick. Not much waiting for your meal.
4. Not much for dishes. Actually almost none if you eat out of the package.
5. Not much waste either. Once the food was eaten, all we had to throw away was the package it came in.
6. You don't have to worry about them going bad by the end of the week. Super for long term trips where the meat in the cooler (like sausage) is always iffy by the end.
Mountain House meals are available from Mountain House or from most outdoor retailers.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Mountain House for Dinner: Review of Wraps and Macaroni and Cheese
The folks at Mountain House sent me some samples of their freeze dried meals to try, and really I was pretty excited. I've had some Mountain House before and actually had compared it to a couple of other brands of "backpacker" foods and for flavor and texture, the Mountain House was my favorite.
So in order to give these samples the true test, we took them camping instead of eating them in the kitchen. We had a Macaroni and Cheese double serving entree and one of the new Mountain House Barbeque Sauce with Beef Wraps that you can put on a tortilla or a bun or just eat plain if you want once it's reconstituted.
The first thing you need to eat Mountain House meals is water. I did not try to eat either of these dry, but I'm guessing it wouldn't work too well. The instructions tell you how much water each package requires and then tells you to heat the water up to boiling, so bust out the camp stove and pot and get some water boiling.
I didn't bring any measuring cups, so I just used a mug and kind of guessed. I also wanted a little hot water for washing the bowls after, so I'm heating too much water here. While your water is heating, find whatever you need for serving, or just hang out and play cards with your friends.
Once the water is boiling, open your package and take out the oxygen absorber. This little packet is totally harmless as long as you don't eat it. It just helps keep the food fresh and dry in the package. Each food pouch had an easy tear strip at the top and flared bottom so it could sit on your table or the ground or whatever and hold itself up. Nice.
The dry stuff looked like this:
Then add your water and mix well. The package tells you how much to add. Like I said, I didn't bring a measuring cup--I just kind of guessed on how much water was 2 cups for one and 1 1/2 cups for the other. Now it looks like this:
After the water is mixed in, seal the package using the little ziplock strip at the top and let it sit for 8-9 minutes (follow the directions on the back, if you happen to get one that says some other amount of time, believe the package over me). Go put your jacket on, help the kids tie their shoes, get the campfire started, observe nature, or whatever else you need to do while you wait.
When your 8 minutes are up, open the pouches and serve. The two serving macaroni and cheese served all three of our kids plus had some leftovers for me and dad to finish up. The "one 16 oz. serving" wrap package served both me and sweet husband with some left for him to have seconds. So two Mountain House meals served our whole family of 5. And we dished out into bowls, but you could really easily just eat it out of the package so all you'd need is a spoon. That would save you some dishes also.
I didn't guess right on the water amount for the wrap package. It was a little watery when it was done, so we had it in a bowl and dipped our tortillas in it. Quite a lot of spice for me, but husband really liked it. If any of you know me, I'm abnormally sensitive to spicy foods, so it's probably the perfect amount of flavor for the average person. The Macaroni and Cheese was a lot of cheese and less macaroni, but was quite tasty with a little salt or salsa added to it (I did the salt, hubby and son did the salsa). We were totally satisfied for the evening hike.
Here's the quick benefits of using Mountain House freeze dried foods:
1. You don't have to pack much in your cooler. Just make sure you have enough water packed or a source for water.
2. They are EASY to cook. No slicing, dicing, getting your hands covered in raw hamburger, etc. Boil water, add water, wait, done. Left lots of time to be doing other things.
3. They cook up pretty darn quick. Not much waiting for dinner.
4. Not much for dishes. Actually almost none if you eat out of the package.
5. Not much waste either. Once the food was eaten, all we had to throw away was the package it came in.
6. You don't have to worry about them going bad by the end of the week. Super for long term trips where the meat in the cooler is always iffy by the end.
I have some Mountain House foods in my emergency kit. They are lightweight and easy to prepare and taste pretty good. You just have to have water and it's best if you have a way to heat that water. Mountain House meals are available from Mountain House or at most camping outfitters--even my Walmart camping section has some. As a side note, I haven't tried all the flavors, but really like the Turkey Tetrazzini. Do you have a favorite flavor?
So in order to give these samples the true test, we took them camping instead of eating them in the kitchen. We had a Macaroni and Cheese double serving entree and one of the new Mountain House Barbeque Sauce with Beef Wraps that you can put on a tortilla or a bun or just eat plain if you want once it's reconstituted.
The first thing you need to eat Mountain House meals is water. I did not try to eat either of these dry, but I'm guessing it wouldn't work too well. The instructions tell you how much water each package requires and then tells you to heat the water up to boiling, so bust out the camp stove and pot and get some water boiling.
I didn't bring any measuring cups, so I just used a mug and kind of guessed. I also wanted a little hot water for washing the bowls after, so I'm heating too much water here. While your water is heating, find whatever you need for serving, or just hang out and play cards with your friends.
Once the water is boiling, open your package and take out the oxygen absorber. This little packet is totally harmless as long as you don't eat it. It just helps keep the food fresh and dry in the package. Each food pouch had an easy tear strip at the top and flared bottom so it could sit on your table or the ground or whatever and hold itself up. Nice.
The dry stuff looked like this:
Then add your water and mix well. The package tells you how much to add. Like I said, I didn't bring a measuring cup--I just kind of guessed on how much water was 2 cups for one and 1 1/2 cups for the other. Now it looks like this:
After the water is mixed in, seal the package using the little ziplock strip at the top and let it sit for 8-9 minutes (follow the directions on the back, if you happen to get one that says some other amount of time, believe the package over me). Go put your jacket on, help the kids tie their shoes, get the campfire started, observe nature, or whatever else you need to do while you wait.
When your 8 minutes are up, open the pouches and serve. The two serving macaroni and cheese served all three of our kids plus had some leftovers for me and dad to finish up. The "one 16 oz. serving" wrap package served both me and sweet husband with some left for him to have seconds. So two Mountain House meals served our whole family of 5. And we dished out into bowls, but you could really easily just eat it out of the package so all you'd need is a spoon. That would save you some dishes also.
I didn't guess right on the water amount for the wrap package. It was a little watery when it was done, so we had it in a bowl and dipped our tortillas in it. Quite a lot of spice for me, but husband really liked it. If any of you know me, I'm abnormally sensitive to spicy foods, so it's probably the perfect amount of flavor for the average person. The Macaroni and Cheese was a lot of cheese and less macaroni, but was quite tasty with a little salt or salsa added to it (I did the salt, hubby and son did the salsa). We were totally satisfied for the evening hike.
Here's the quick benefits of using Mountain House freeze dried foods:
1. You don't have to pack much in your cooler. Just make sure you have enough water packed or a source for water.
2. They are EASY to cook. No slicing, dicing, getting your hands covered in raw hamburger, etc. Boil water, add water, wait, done. Left lots of time to be doing other things.
3. They cook up pretty darn quick. Not much waiting for dinner.
4. Not much for dishes. Actually almost none if you eat out of the package.
5. Not much waste either. Once the food was eaten, all we had to throw away was the package it came in.
6. You don't have to worry about them going bad by the end of the week. Super for long term trips where the meat in the cooler is always iffy by the end.
I have some Mountain House foods in my emergency kit. They are lightweight and easy to prepare and taste pretty good. You just have to have water and it's best if you have a way to heat that water. Mountain House meals are available from Mountain House or at most camping outfitters--even my Walmart camping section has some. As a side note, I haven't tried all the flavors, but really like the Turkey Tetrazzini. Do you have a favorite flavor?
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