Shifting Gears a little....

I've been evaluating where I want to take this blog and what I really want to accomplish with it.  Most of my recent posts have been in reviewing products, and while I do think that reviews can be helpful for people that are trying to make a decision on whether to purchase an item or not, I feel I need to be doing more.  My desire is to truly help people become self-sufficient, save money & be prepared for any event.

I will still continue with my review of products, but I will also begin posting more "how to's and preparedness" type posts and videos on our new YouTube Channel.  Speaking of reviews, I called Shelf Reliance (SR) customer service last week, to check on my order for the remaining items to continue my "Recipe Challenge Project".  SR is moving to a new facility, so shipping has been affected during the move and I wanted to be sure that my order from Oct 4th had not been "lost" in transition.  I was assured that it would be shipped out this week, so I hope to be back on track with the project before the end of the week.

In the meantime, I'll be posting a project on preparing to "bug out", complete with pics and video.  Also, if you get a chance, checkout http://survivalcache.com/urban-survival/ - Excellent article!

Be back tomorrow! Stay safe & ready,
KD

Recipe Challenge #3 Redux: Cornbread Take 2 & a Taste Test: TPV Beef

I received an email today to let me know that Shelf Reliance is 12-14 days behind on shipments this month.  They have had a surge in orders but are working hard to keep up with all of them.  As a result, I'm still waiting on several of the THRIVE products I need to make most of the recipes in the cookbook.

I decided to give the cornbread recipe another go, just using less sugar.  I did everything exactly as before, but used half the butter and only 1/3 c of sugar.  After everything was mixed together, the consistency looked a little thin, so I added another 1/3 c of cornmeal.  This did the trick and it looked like it should.

I poured the mixture into my trusty stoneware and put it in the oven at 325 degrees.  I set the timer for 30 minutes and let it go.  After 30 minutes, the top still wasn't browned as much as I would like, so I turned the broiler on (at 500) for just 2 minutes.  The result was PERFECT. 

I let the cornbread cool for about 10 minutes and cut a piece to test.  For me, it was just right.  I think that my family would like it a little sweeter, so if this sounds like you or your family, go up to 1/2 c sugar.

My second attempt at this recipe turned out perfect in texture and taste.  It would be a wonderful addition to a chili or pot roast.



TASTE TEST: THRIVE TPV Beef

I thought I would give the THRIVE TPV Beef a quick taste test, sans additional ingredients.  I took a little nibble of it dried and it looked and tasted like large bacon bits.  The side of the can said to "soak in hot water for 10 minutes" but doesn't give the ratio of hot water to THRIVE TPV Beef.  So, I guessed at it and got it almost right.  I used 1c water to 1c THRIVE TVP Beef but probably should have used 3/4c water instead.

I let it sit for just over 10 minutes (the dryer was calling & the timer went off while I was downstairs - so more like 15 minutes).  It looked like chopped beef - the taste & texture was not.  I can't really fault the product since TPV is soy based and not real beef.  It wasn't bad, it just wasn't beef.  I'm not sure how it will do in a recipe but I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I'm going to change all of my upcoming Q Club orders from TPV to THRIVE Freeze Dried Ground Beef instead.  I am building my "Home Store" via the Q Club and intend on using the THRIVE products in place of store bought products (you'd be surprised at how much money you can save, as well as time, by doing this!).  Even though the THRIVE Freeze Dried Ground Beef is more expensive than the THRIVE TVP Beef, I only buy organic, grassfed ground beef, so I'll be saving a ton of money by using the THRIVE products instead.

Hopefully, the rest of my product will be delivered and I'll be able to move onto more complex recipes within the next week.  I'm really looking forward to trying the Mac & Cheese & Quesadilla recipes. :-)

Have a Blessed and restful night!
KD

Recipe Challenge #4: Scrambled Eggs

Tonight's "challenge" wasn't really a recipe but more of a taste test.  I wanted to see how the THRIVE Eggs would turn out if I scrambled them. 

Following the instructions on the side of the can, I whisked 2 tbs whole egg powder & 4 tbs water together (double recipe).  It looked fairly watery but was confident that it would turn out fine. 

I heated a small skillet and sprayed a little bit of PAM butter into the pan, then poured the mix into it.  It began to bubble and take on a pancake like consistency.  I have to admit, I was becoming less confident about the end result.

As the mixture began to thicken and brown, it started to look like fresh scrambled eggs (Thankfully! - I was REALLY not looking forward to trying them in their current state).  The THRIVE eggs take a little longer to cook than fresh eggs and it's important to keep turning them so they brown properly.  After they looked just about right, I cut up a green tomato and topped it with some hot salsa and sprinkled everything with a little sea salt & fresh ground peppercorn.

While the eggs had a very slight powdered taste to them, they were still pretty good.  I want to try again with just a little less water and maybe add some THRIVE Cheese & THRIVE Bacon to it for texture & taste.

Even though I'll be sticking with fresh eggs for breakfast for as long as I can get them, I have no doubt that in a recipe that calls for eggs, the THRIVE Whole Powdered Eggs would be just as good as fresh ones. 




Sleep well!
KD

Recipe Challenge #3: Homemade Cornbread

Update on THE CHICKEN SALAD: While it was really tasty (especially if I had some pickle relish for it) the night before, it was incredible the next day and needed nothing at all.  I took the leftovers to work for lunch and 3 others tried it.  They couldn't believe it was made with THRIVE freeze dried ingredients.  In fact, I am bringing a double recipe to work tomorrow for everyone for lunch.... It's THAT good. :-)  So, if you make the Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe, make it the night before and people will RAVE about it!

My first observation while making tonight's recipe was that I need a bigger kitchen.  AND more mixing bowls. AND a set of actual measuring spoons.  But aside from that, it was a breeze.  If you can follow directions (having the right kind of mixing bowls & measuring spoons will make it easier), then you can make this recipe.  I tend to burn bread, so I was a little apprehensive about attempting this one.  But since the other ingredients I ordered haven't been delivered yet, it was one of the few options available. 


Side Note: I know I make it sound like I am missing a huge amount of THRIVE products, but in reality, it's only a few staple items that are called for in a good deal of the recipes in the THRIVE Cookbook.  Once those arrive (I received the shipping notice today), I'll be all set for the whole book! :-)

Back to the recipe:  The only two things I substituted tonight were the salt & the sugar.  The recipe called for a cup of THRIVE sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon of THRIVE salt.  I figured sugar is sugar & table salt is table salt, so I opted not to open my cans of these two items and used my regular Publix brand of both.

Although this recipe had more ingredients than my first two recipes, it really wasn't difficult.  It called for some buttermilk, which I didn't have, so I followed the simple recipe in the cookbook for homemade buttermilk: 3 tbs THRIVE powdered milk, 1 c water, 1 tbs lemon juice and it was perfect. Be sure to mix it THOROUGHLY if you make your own.

After making my own buttermilk (which I thought was really very cool considering my lack of aptitude for cooking), I continued with the recipe as described.  After mixing everything together, I popped it in the oven for 30 minutes (max recommended time).  When the timer went off, I felt it wasn't quite as done as I would like, so I added 5 more minutes to the cook time. 

I pulled it out of the oven after a total of 35 minutes.  I thought it needed more browning on the top but I was afraid to bake it any longer than 35 minutes, so I went ahead and let the cornbread cool for about 20 minutes.  I cut a small piece to try and it was just moist enough that, with it still being warm, it almost melted in my mouth.  I thought it a bit sweet but then I'm one of those people that likes coffee black - no sugar, no cream - and unsweetened tea (a huge faux pas as a born Southerner).  Basically, most things with any noticeable amount of sugar taste a little too sweet to me. 

My son came home shortly after and I asked him to check it out for me.   He agreed that it was too sweet for cornbread - almost dessert like.  That may be why the top didn't brown as much as I thought it should.  I'm going to try again using less sugar.  Although the recipe calls for 1c sugar, I think that 1/2 c or even 1/3 c would be enough.  That should make the end result a little lighter and not near as sweet.

Bottom Line: If you like your cornbread sweet and moist, this recipe as is would be perfect for you.  If you like it a little fluffier & more bread-like, try cutting the sugar.  I'll attempt this one again and post a revised review soon.

Goodnight and have a great weekend!
KD

Recipe Challenge #2: Chicken Salad (Sandwich)

FIRST: FOLLOW UP ON THE BROWNIES!  I was afraid that I would wake up to dry, hard brownies that crumbled when I took them out of the pan to take to work.  I am happy to report that this was not the case!  They were still perfectly chewy & moist.  Everyone that tried one commented on how great they tasted!

Ok, onto tonight's challenge:

I know I'm starting my THRIVE Recipe Challenge off with ridiculously easy recipes but there is a reason (besides the fact that I like easy recipes): I took inventory and realized that I didn't have all of the THRIVE products that I needed to complete many of the recipes without using outside resources.  So, I ordered the remaining items I needed to complete every recipe in the cookbook last night.  In the meantime, I'll have to stick with the really simple stuff.

Getting home a little later than usual tonight, an easy recipe was just what I was looking forward to "tackling".  After making it, I honestly think my 8 year old nephew could have done just as well.  It was super easy and required very little effort.

Basically, the recipe called for 3 c water, 1 1/2 c chopped THRIVE chicken, 1/2 c diced THRIVE celery, and 1/3 c of THRIVE chopped onions.  I brought everything to a boil, reduced the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.  Draining the mixture was as simple as pouring it into a strainer & then placing the strainer on top of the empty pot for 10 more minutes. 

While all of this didn't take very long at all, (just over 22 min), the recipe called for placing the mixture into the fridge "until cooled".  My thought was, "Umm, No. I'm hungry now". 

So, I sped up the process by placing it in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  This cooled the mixture enough to add in the 1/2 c Vegenaise.  We don't use mayonnaise (which is what the recipe used), so anything that calls for mayo gets Grapeseed Vegenaise instead.  It is MUCH healthier for you and we like it better than the taste of mayo.

I did a quick taste test and determined that it needed something else.  So, I added a little himalayan pink salt & ground black pepper.  While this made it almost just right, I still felt that it needed either chopped pickles or sweet relish to round it out.  Since I didn't have either of these items, I cut up some fresh tomatoes and added some tortilla chips to the dish.  If my diet wasn't sans gluten, a butter croissant would have been perfect with it.

Bottom line: I was pleasantly surprised that freeze dried chicken could be this tasty but next time I make the recipe, I'll have some pickles or relish on hand to try with it. :)

BTW, almost all Thrive products contain 100% NO GMO ingredients!

What is the Q-Club and how does it work?

This is a FANTASTIC way to build a 3 month - 24 month food supply for your family ON A BUDGET! If you set up a new Q shipment of at least $50 per month, via my website: http://readyoutdoors.shelfreliance.com/, I will send you a FREE Thrive Cookbook!

Recipe Challenge #1: Thrive Fudge Brownies

I left work fairly late tonight, so I wanted to make something quick & easy for my first recipe challenge.  In all fairness, this one really wasn't a challenge - even for a culinary novice like me. 

I decided on the THRIVE Desserts: Fudge Brownies.  This was just about as easy as it could get.  Just the Thrive mix, water & my oven.  The instructions said to use 1/2 c of hot water & 3 c of the brownie mix.  This took almost all of my pantry can contents.  Brownie lovers would definitely need the #10 can and at just $14.39 per can (makes 60+ brownies), it's very affordable.

The recipe said to mix the water & brownie mix for 1 minute but I used a small handheld electric mixer, so it only took about 20 seconds.  I turned the oven on and set it to 360 degrees, then let the mix "rest" for 10 minutes, per the recipe.

Ready to Bake

Although the recipe said to use a non-stick pan, I used one of my natural stone dishes and lightly sprayed it with a little Publix brand spray butter.  When the timers went off, almost at the same time, I popped the dish in the oven and set the timer for 22 minutes.

After 22 minutes, the center still looked a tad soft, so I reset the timer for another 3 minutes and then texted my son to ask him to come down for a taste test.

Baking for the full 25 minutes did the trick.  I let it cool for a couple of minutes and cut a piece.  It came right out of the dish with no sticking at all.  Brandon looked it over like it was a foreign object (yes, it looked like a brownie) and asked me "where did you get it?"  I told him it was a Thrive product as he took the first bite.  Nodding he said, "It tastes like the real thing" (yes, it is the real thing).  He commented that the texture was just right, chewy but still a really good consistency.  His rating: a big thumbs up.

Ready to Eat!

It was my turn to try it out - Now, what you have to understand is that I'm allergic to chocolate (and perfume.... it's a good thing I'm not allergic to flowers or jewelry!).  My allergy to chocolate is not in that send me to the hospital kind of way, but it does create an unpleasant allergic reaction for several days after ingesting it.

I have to admit, I considered not trying the brownies.  But after Brandon's review - and since I want to be able to give my personal opinion on the Thrive products & recipes - I decided to go ahead and have a very small piece.  It was just as Brandon described, perfectly chewy and delish.

This would make a perfect dessert to take to a party or whip up when you are in a pinch for time and ingredients.  I'm definitely going to keep a #10 can of this on hand for guests and party treats!

My first Thrive Recipe Challenge recipe was a great success and now I have a tasty treat for everyone at work tomorrow! :)  Coming up - Recipe Challenge #2: Chicken Salad Sandwich.

Thrive Recipe Challenge

I recently received my THRIVE COOKBOOK from Shelf Reliance.  Because I signed up as a consultant, I received some nifty pantry cans (quart sizes of all of the #10 can products) so that I could demonstrate the food at "Parties".

Now, I wasn't born a good cook.  In fact, I've been known to burn water...more than once.  So, while I was excited to receive my new cookbook and try it out, my family was very apprehensive about the whole thing.

I decided that if I was going to make a serious "go" at this business, I better learn to cook with it and actually become good at it.

So, this is my personal challenge to myself:  I'm going to make at least one recipe, if not two or three, each week and blog about my experience with it.  I figure, if I can make it work then I'll be able to show others how to make it work for them.

I'll attempt my first recipe tonight, so check back later this evening for the start of my "Thrive Recipe Challenge!"

Blessings and Sleep Well,
KD