Recently on the Facebook CTF page, someone mentioned a new dairy-free cheese on the market that melts and strings like real cheese. Since I’ve been working on developing a variety of pizza crusts, I decided to look into it. [Read more…] about Review- Daiya Dairy-Free Cheese
family
Curried Pumpkin Soup
On the Facebook page for Cooking Traditional Foods, I often post what I’m cooking, along with reminders to do things like thaw your meat and soak your grains. Today I mentioned that I’m making curried pumpkin soup in preparation for the power outage that is expected. Several people requested the recipe, so I decided to post it here.
Beginning tonight and through Tuesday, we’re expecting ice and snow. I’m preparing four day’s worth of food. I’ve also made potato soup and I’m making chili, cornbread, some brownies and possibly some baked goods for breakfast later today.
This soup is insanely good. The combination of pumpkin, coriander, coconut milk and curry is beyond fabulous. Don’t skimp on the rapadura, it offsets the spiciness and really makes the flavor pop. If I could only have two soups in my life, this would be one of my choices.
Potato Soup
Winter is coming.
A couple of weeks ago, I stood at my kitchen window in the early morning. Looking through the fog, I saw one single, yellowed leaf float down from the trees. My throat tightened. Last week in the same early morning time at my sink, I saw several more fall, dancing gracefully. Friday, I crested the steep hill on my road to see the Appalachians displaying change visible from a great distance. Today, I see the trees across the street are turning. Red and yellow. This morning, I had to grab a robe when I got up. The kids complained their feet were cold on the wooden floors. Friends are telling me the Blue Ridge Parkway, not far from home, already has yellows, oranges and reds beautifully visible.
Winter is coming. Soon. [Read more…] about Potato Soup
Chicken Mole
This recipe was requested over on the CTF Facebook page. If you use Facebook, come over over and join us. I post daily reminders about thawing meats, soaking grains and planning your meals. It’s great if you’re in a meal-cooking rut or need some inspiration, because many folks post what they’re fixing for meals and snacks, too. I mentioned testing a chicken mole recipe and someone asked me to post it.
Chicken Mole
From the Menu Mailer
[Read more…] about Chicken Mole
Real Food Storage- Deep Pantry Principles for Traditional Foodists
Our Food Storage 101 article on our website was so popular, we decided to expand it into a blog series! Over the next several weeks, we will walk you through the whys and hows of food storage, whether you wish to have a week or a year of food on hand.
Why Should I Store Food?
There are many reasons why people choose to practice some form of food storage, and none of them are wrong. So many people are concerned right now. Since I began working with food storage in 2007, I have seen many reasons to choose to stock a deep pantry.
- You wish to be prepared for a hurricane, a snow storm or an extended power outage.
- While you might currently have a stable job, you know that unemployment is over 10% nationally, topping 15% in some areas. A recent Gallup poll showed that under-employment was at 19%. You aren’t currently dealing with unemployment, but you’re concerned it might be around the corner.
- You’re looking to wisely invest your tax refund, knowing that currently the rising price of food is outpacing the interest rate, so the purchase of bulk food at a discounted price is a doubly wise investment of your funds.
- You are a family facing unemployment or struggling through under-employment, or you are facing the end of your unemployment checks.
- You don’t wish to have to purchase food on a credit card if you’re unemployed.
- You currently know a family who is forced to choose between food and housing or food and heat due to a limited income.
- You’re not particularly interested in food storage, but you’ve decided that buying in bulk is the best way to cut your whole-foods based budget.
- You have food allergies, and you know that you would not be able to sustain your family between the offerings of a food bank and food stamps should something happen to your income.
- You have food allergies, and you desperately need to bring down the grocery bill.
- Due to being self-employed, you would not qualify for food stamps in an emergency.
- You hate shopping and would rather shop less, or you live miles from convenient shopping locations.
- You wish to leave the food at the food bank for those who are less fortunate than you.
- You’ve read about the potential looming food shortages from the floods in many countries and droughts this year. Multiple countries have suffered flooding or freak snow and freezing weather in the last few months, and their effects on the price of food has been in the news.
- You’ve met a family who sustained themselves with their food storage after a job loss or other tragedy. If you are a forum member, you know that last year we sustained ourselves for eleven months on food storage while my husband went through unemployment.
- You see the need to not be a burden on others should an emergency occur, so that those who are less fortunate or can not prepare can utilize the food banks without you also needing to go there. This creates less of a burden on the safety nets meant to help families through a crisis.
- You are trying to return to a more sustainable food production cycle in your own family, beginning a homestead or a hobby farm.
- You are looking to unplug from a modern life-style.
- You wish to save money by only purchasing fresh and in-season.
In 2009, our family sustained a major hit in the form of income loss when my husband, along with 90% of his co-workers, were laid off. Three months prior, everyone in the company had taken a salary reduction in a move to delay those lay-offs. We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know the day. Thankfully, we had one year of food storage in place when the lay-off happened. [Read more…] about Real Food Storage- Deep Pantry Principles for Traditional Foodists
Good, Better, Best- Choosing Meats
As I stated with my first post in this series, I fully recognize that some of you have very tight budgets or only have access to mega-marts due to your locations. Others will have the funds and availability to choose the best of the best. Either way, this post isn’t to condemn someone who can’t pick the best of every option, it is to help you make the best decision you can with what you have, where you are.
This week’s installment is on choosing meats. This post is to help you decide what is the best option for your budget. This posting is my opinion, and after research, you might reach a different conclusion. If you do, please comment and share what you found and your reasoning. I’m always open to changing my opinion and updating this post if new or different information comes along.
The Choices
Best– Locally grown, 100% pastured, organic or ‘not-certified but organic practice’
Better– 100% pastured, organic or ‘not-certified but organic practice’ [Read more…] about Good, Better, Best- Choosing Meats