I get a lot of my food storage products through Alison’s Pantry, a foods company based in Pleasant Grove, UT that delivers products through local Reps in 10 states.  They sell bulk grains, fresh spices in 1 lb. bags, and a delicious line of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables (Achieve), plus buckets and other food storage containers to organize everything.  (I’m not only the AP Sales Manager, I’m also a client…” ) If you live in one of the states below, this month you can earn a chance to win a $100 Alison’s Pantry gift certificate just by signing up to receive e-mail updates on AP sales and special product offers.

• Utah
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Idaho
• New Mexico
• Wyoming
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Just click HERE to join the mailing list. The winner will be drawn on July 11th, and posted to the Alison’s Pantry Facebook page.

I had some Granny Smith apples that were slightly past their prime, so I thought it was a perfect excuse to use some of my food storage oats for something other than oatmeal.  I found this simple Oatmeal Apple Crisp recipe and “voila!” the apples were transformed.  I couldn’t snap the picture fast enough before it was being served with scoops of vanilla ice cream.  Since oats will store for 30+ years, in proper conditions, I don’t think we can have too many ways to use them!

I love that this recipe is fast and easy!  The only change I would make next time  is to add chopped pecans to the topping. 

OATMEAL APPLE CRISP

3 C. sliced apples

3 Tbsp. flour

1/4 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I think Apple Pie Spice is even better)

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. water

1/2 C. rolled oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. butter (I used Smart Balance)

1/3 C. brown sugar

Combine apples, flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. salt and water. Place in a greased casserole dish (I doubled the recipe to fill the 9 x 13 pan).

Cut the remaining ingredients together with a pastry blender and sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture in pan. Bake 35 minutes in 375 degree oven.

I was just introduced to a fabulous food storage resource based on the bygone principle of making the most of what we have.  The author of Grandma’s Modern Inflation Fighters, Cherrie Sorenson, states in the book’s dedication: “Our Grandmother’s knew how to preserve, dry and stretch a little to feed a lot. This book is based on the same concept, using what we have in our refrigerators, pantries, cupboards and food storage to stretch what we have.”  Unlike many books in this genre, Grandma’s Modern Inflation Fighters is not a disorganized manual of varied homegrown tips. It’s clean, organized design invited me to peruse the great recipes and how-to ideas inside.  The recipes are simple and sound delicious, and they conjure up the memories of smells from your grandmother’s kitchen. Molasses Cookies, Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, and Tangy Tamale Pie are three recipes I am anxious to try.  The cookbook has great information on using food storage products, and also features a nice section on homemade mixes, canning, sprouting and even using soy in your cooking. I am grateful to have this little gem in my collection and excited to recommend it to you. I know you’ll find it a great resource too.

Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet in the shape of either a tree or a wreath.  Bake, then decorate and wrap for gift giving.  So easy!

It’s just a simple sheet cake, but I love this spicy seasonal recipe.  I stock canned pumpkin in my food storage because it’s a healthy addition to baked goods (and I love its flavor). With the exception of the butter and cream cheese in the frosting, you probably have all of the ingredients on hand to whip up this cake, so why wait?  Here’s the simple recipe:

PUMPKIN SHEET CAKE

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil (I used half applesauce to reduce fat)

4 eggs

2 c. all-purpose flour (I’m sure you could substitute at least half wheat flour.)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I substituted pumpkin pie spice for more flavor.)

1/2 tsp. salt

FROSTING

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

5 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

3-4 tsp. milk

chopped nuts (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil.  Add eggs and mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Add to pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1).  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back.  For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and mix well. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Frost cake and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

My kids are generally less than enthusiastic about pie for dessert, but this new recipe for Swedish Apple Pie was a definite hit.  Instead of a traditional crust, the spiced apples are topped with a buttery, crunchy nut topping that makes the dessert seem more like a cobbler than a pie.  I photographed it with whipped cream and Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast Sugar on top, but I found it’s really stellar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  If you are still enjoying the apple crop, this recipe is a must.  I’m considering it for Thanksgiving as well. This can easily be made with reconstituted dehydrated apples to utilize it as a food storage recipe.  Try it out and let me know what you think.

SWEDISH APPLE PIE from Dianne Lauffer in Family Fun magazine, November 2009

Filling:

2/3 c. raisins (I left these out)

3 medium apples (about 2 2/3 cups), any baking variety, peeled and sliced–use a spiral apple peeler to really save time)

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Topping:

3/4 c. butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance)

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak the raisins in hot water until they plump. Drain, then combine with apple slices. Transfer the fruit to a 9-inch pie pan (it should be no more than 2/3 full). In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (I used a tsp. of Apple Pie Spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe). Sprinkle over the fruit.

To make the topping, first melt the butter and set it aside.  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and egg until they are evenly blended.  Whisk in the butter, then spread the topping over the fruit and sprinkle on the chopped nuts.  Bake the pie until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 

 The recipe says it feeds 10, but they must have figured on more dainty pieces than we devoured. We got about 8. Enjoy!

Last year, I had several friends who raved about their homemade applesauce, so I vowed to try it this year.  My friends were right, it’s delicious and extremely easy when made in the Crock Pot.  If you use an apple peeler, like the one below, it is even easier and much faster.  Slow cooker applesauce has the aroma and flavor of apple pie, so fresh from the slow cooker it’s quite tasty poured warm over vanilla ice cream.  It’s also delicious as a topping for oatmeal.  I had heard that your first batch of homemade applesauce goes fast, so I didn’t bother trying to pressure can it this time. I am just storing my leftovers in the refrigerator.  Next year, I’ll be canning some for my food storage.  Below are the simple instructions to make your own.

SLOW COOKER APPLESAUCE

4 lbs. tart apples, cored and thinly sliced (about 12 cups)

1/2 cup sugar (I used about 1/4 c.)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon or apple pie spice

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix apples with cinnamon and sugar and put into Crock Pot.  Pour water and lemon juice over the apple mixture.  Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours.

I write about Alison’s Pantry products here often, and I know other AP fans visit this site for ideas using their products.  So, I wanted to share a fun contest that Alison’s Pantry is offering.  Here are the details:

Want to see your name in lights? We’re rolling out the red carpet and giving you a chance to be a star! We’re looking for videos of Representatives and customers using Alison’s Pantry products. Your video demo should be 3-5 minutes long and clearly feature an AP product or products. For example, show us how you love to use Dole Frozen Fruit in your smoothies, how you customize AP mixes to create special recipes, or how you make everyday meals from AP food storage. Once you’ve filmed your video, post it to our Official Alison’s Pantry Facebook Page. We’ll be reviewing the entries and giving away lots of $25 Gift Certificates.

Good luck to all who enter! Sounds fun!

Shirley J manufactures a line of food products that make cooking really easy.  My favorite of their products is a Universal Sauce that I purchase through Alison’s Pantry.  Shirley J touts their Universal Sauce as “economical, foolproof, healthy, delicious, and the building block for thousands of recipes.” I love that it doesn’t have MSG. It really is a great product and now you can enter for a chance to try it or other Shirley J products for free!

Click HERE for instructions on entering to win this great food storage giveaway.

Easily convert recipes to use powdered milk and eggs so any recipe can be a food storage recipe.

When I presented my demo for the Alison’s Pantry Food Show, I handed out conversion charts for powdered eggs and nonfat dry milk to easily convert them to larger amounts in recipes.  I forgot to post the link for these when I posted the other handouts. If you got a copy at the Food Show, you may want to print this color version anyway.  The egg chart is for Rainy Day Foods Powdered Whole Eggs.   I will also be posting a chart for other brands (the water amounts for reconstituting vary slightly).  Feel free to print these charts and copy them to put in the front of your cookbooks, or inside a cupboard door, or on a magnet on your refrigerator.  If you keep them handy, you’ll find it’s very easy to use food storage products in your everyday cooking. Enjoy!

Milk and Egg conversion charts