Week 27 of the 2011 Food Storage Challenge

$10 Plan
Store 1 large can tuna and 1 large can fruit


$20 Plan
Store 2 large cans tuna and 2 large cans fruit


TUNA


Almost done with the tuna.


Remember that this is a suggestion.  If you want to store something else that your family would eat, go right ahead.  Here are some suggestions:-

• Ravioli Bolognaise
• Tinned spaghetti
• Baked beans
• Canned chicken
• Canned prawns/crab meat (expensive but still a protein)
• Irish Stew
• Sausages and Vegetables

The idea is that you're storing something you can create a meal out of, or that will be a quick and easy meal.  You want variety as well.


If you want to store tuna and need a few recipe ideas, here are some of mine:-


Tuna pasta bake


Mix together cooked pasta, drained tuna in brine (or springwater if you don't want the salt) and a jar of pasta sauce (I use one that already has veggies in it but you can add any cooked veggies of your own as well).  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake.


Tuna Irish Potatoes


I've always known this method as 'Irish potatoes'.  I'm not sure why though or where I first learned to do this.  I guess they're also called 'baked, filled potatoes'.  You need 4 large potatoes.  Bake or microwave them until they are soft.  Cut a hole in the top and scoop out some of the flesh (hollow them out but be careful not to break through the delicate skin).  Put the scooped out potato flesh in a bowl.


To the potato flesh in the bowl, you need to add:-
- Cheese
- herbs
- tuna


Mix together then scoop back into the hollowed out potatoes.  Sprinkle extra cheese on top and bake.


My husband tells me this is a side dish (!) and should not be served as a main (I tried that once and he like it but wasn't entirely happy that he didn't have anything else). They are rather yummy though.

Picture and further baked stuffed potato recipes found here: http://zestycook.com/5-simple-stuffed-baked-potatoes/

TINNED FRUIT

I delved into the varieties of canned fruit available in Week 18, found here: http://denleydiaries.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-18-of-2011-food-storage-challenge.html

I believe canned fruit is better than no fruit at all!

Farewell My Old Friend

My final tribute to my old friend, Charcoal who passed away peacefully this morning aged 11 years, 8 months.

A much younger, happier Charcoal with full vision and free reign of the yard.

Lots of dandelions to munch on

Curious days - table top meandering?

I have watched Charcoal go downhill gradually this year until this past week I noticed that he wasn't eating and drinking as much as he normally would.  Almost as if it was instinct, but it was painful to do so.  His droppings were irregular - sometimes small, sometimes runny, sometimes clumped and sometimes normal.  That had me puzzled.

He was also not being his usual adventurous self - not wanting to leave his box at all.  Normally he would hop around the kitchen and head butt everything in his path (due to blindness).

This morning I noticed him resting his head on the side of the box, and his head would tilt to the left.  Very unusual for him.  I decided to take some photos of this (I'm not posting those), and made an appointment to take him to the Vet to see if there was anything we could do for Charcoal - whether he had a urinary tract infection (I had noticed he was a little swollen 'downstairs' and looked sore), or whether he possibly had mites (he had some flaky skin starting to come back and tilting of the head can sometimes indicate a severe case in bunnies ears, but again, another puzzling situation - the symptoms didn't add up).

Off to the Vet we went. I gave him a cuddle and a gentle rub before I put him in the car.  Charcoal didn't like the car ride at all, and decided to keep his head firmly in the corner under his towels in the washing basket.  He was doing okay when we said hello at the Clinic but when it came time for him to be examined, he was okay for the first 5 mins then for some reason completely freaked out.  The Vet realised he wasn't happy and put him in his basket whilst he started to explain the symptoms to me, but I wasn't listening, I was watching my bunny's eyes roll back, the breathing slowed down and then he went limp.  I interrupted the Vet to say "I think he's gone", pointing to Charcoal.  The poor Vet picked him up and listened to his heart as Charcoal's heart stopped.  I think mine almost did as well.

The Vet apologised and explained Charcoal had cancer of the liver.  Over the next few days and possibly weeks his skin would have turned yellow as the toxins would have circulated around his body.  In a way, it was better that Charcoal passed away quickly like that than to have a painful drawn out death.  The combination of the pain he was in and the examination was enough to put him in shock.  For a bunny who was used to being showered, kids picking him and previous vet visits, shock was unusual but I understood today was different.  I knew he had been in pain, hence the Veterinary Clinic visit in the first place. 

I made the hard decision of leaving his body at the Vet's rather than bringing him home and showing the kids and having to find somewhere to bury him.  The ground is all clay at the moment and I just don't have the arm strength to dig a hole big enough.  Phil would have gladly dug a hole (after he got home from work in the dark) but I thought it was better this way.  The Vet kept the towel that Charcoal came in, was very respectful and patted him, said "Goodbye old boy" and carefully wrapped the towel around him.  I think I was still too much of a stunned mullet.  I did pat his head, and he still felt warm and soft - just like Charcoal.

I'm still in shock.  He was such a trusting, sweet natured bunny.  A personality like that in a rabbit is hard to find.

I did get a bit teary in the reception area as the receptionist looked up at me and then realised I was carrying an empty basket.  I explained "He just died".  The Vet quietly came out and whispered that there would be no charge for burial.  I did pay for the consultation (sounds weird, but I have no problem with that - I needed to hear what Charcoal was dying from - it means closure for me). 

I am relieved that I didn't have to make the decision whether or not to put Charcoal to sleep via injection though.  I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do that.  Charcoal made that decision on his own.

I came home and called Phil and explained what happened.  He said he patted Charcoal goodbye this morning.  In my morning prayer with the kids we prayed that Charcoal would be able to find relief from his pain at the Veterinary Clinic.  He certainly did that although not quite in the way I expected.

All that's left to do now is remove his home from my kitchen...

Goodbye my old friend.  You will be missed but lovingly remembered.

Battling it out for the heater

Who would have thought I would have to compete for my heater with Mr Charcoal?

I mean...Come on!  He's only 11 years old, blind and suffering arthritis, has no energy, suffers from dementia, needs to be showered every day, blow dried, brushed and groomed, needs a new towel in his beloved box daily, lots of cuddles and has to be rolled over so he doesn't get sore because once he flops down in this position, he can't get back up again. *sigh*

But it's MY heater! ;D

He does look very content though, doesn't he.

He was trying to get to this spot in the sun, but he doesn't cope very well with the floorboards.  They're too slippery.  I had to put him on this towel so he could enjoy his morning sun and avoid any 'accidents' (he is a little incontinent too these days).  Now this Human Bunny needs to keep an eye on her charge so that he doesn't overcook.  That wouldn't be so good.

What a life to lead!

Week 26 of the 2011 Food Storage Challenge

$10 Plan
Store 5 kgs lentils/pulses

$20 Plan
Store 10 kgs lentils/pulses

We're halfway through the year now which is a fantastic achievement!

Hmm lentils.  I'm not terribly fond of these.  I'm not sure if that's because I was allergic to them as a child and still maintain an intolerance to them or I just dislike them but my family and I don't eat a lot of them.  I have been known on occasion to add them to taco meat though.  Generally I associate lentils with spicy/chili food which upsets my tummy.  My Mother-In-Law makes a Chili with lentils and mince which she considers mild, but it still wreaks havoc with me.

Lentils are a great source of folate and protein if you don't have access to those.  They certainly store longer than meat and are great to add to your food storage.  This printout has lots of useful information on some different kinds of pulses, how to use them and recipes: http://www.pulsecanada.com/uploads/4f/3c/4f3c70cc5efe8ead7b1f1c1f052ae932/Cooking-with-Beans-Peas--Lentils-2010.pdf

This site has information about the different types of lentils: http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html

Week 25 of the 2011 Food Storage Challenge

A creative thinking challenge this week.  It's all about seasoning.  Perhaps not quite as much as in this picture (to the left) from Scott Robert's website.


$10 plan
Store pepper, mixed herbs and 1 soy sauce


$20 plan
Store pepper, mixed herbs, 1 soy sauce and mustard


We're all so different, and we have different tastes when it comes down to our food and seasoning.  When I was growing up, we didn't have much salt on our food at all.  It certainly wasn't added to afterwards.  We did use a lot of herbs though when we could, and my parents had a wonderful herb garden.  I have learned to make good use of herbs in my cooking whether it is a simple herb butter or herbs added to a bolognaise sauce and yes, I also grow as many herbs as I can in pots (except SOMEBUNNY likes to eat them!).


We do need some different seasonings when you're dealing with food storage.  You don't want to be having the same bland food again and again. If you have a lot of rice, you can vary the flavour by cooking it in chicken stock one night, adding some soy sauce to it the next, making a simple fried rice with different dried herbs and whatever tinned goodies you have.  I'm talking week after week, month after month perhaps of eating the same thing.  That is why we vary your food storage.


This week's challenge is great because you get to choose the quantities of the items you store, as well as exactly what you store.


Here are some ideas on what you might like to store:-

• Black or white peppercorns or cracked pepper
• Soy Sauce (Mushroom flavoured, light or dark)
• Various dried herbs (oregano, sage, parsley, chives, coriander, chili etc)
• Mixed herbs and spices
• Dried onion flakes
• Meat rubs (Chicken Seasoning, Steak Seasoning, Greek seasoning, Tuscan, Roast Lamb etc)
• Mustard powder, mustard sauces (American, Dijonnaise, English etc.)
• Curry Powder
• Fish Sauce
• Liquid Smoke (to give meat a smoky flavour - great for ribs or any slow cooked meat)
• Mint Sauce
• Liquid Marinades
• Oyster Sauce
• Horseradish Sauce

Remember to store what you and your family would eat.

Week 24 of the 2011 Food Storage Challenge

$10 Plan
Store $10 worth of Jelly
$20 Plan
Store $20 worth of Jelly

What better food to go with your rice pudding and tinned fruit!  Jelly has always been well received in my family.

Uses for Jelly:-

1. Plain - as is
2. With custard and tinned fruit
3. With rice pudding
4. As a jelly drink, either hot or cold
5. Mix tacky jelly (made with half the water) into a tin of whipped evaporated milk.
6. These jelly biscuits: http://www.food.com/recipe/jelly-crystal-biscuits-cookies-272320
7. These 'window' cookies: http://www.food.com/recipe/jelly-centered-sugar-cookies-295938
8. To coat lamingtons or in jelly cakes
9. On top of cheese cakes (YUM!!!) http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/20804/jelly+swirl+cheesecake+slice
10. In a Trifle, such as this one: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14667/summer+berry+trifle.  I also do a Christmas one found here: http://denleydiaries.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-trifle.html

Week 23 of the 2011 Food Storage Challenge

$10 Challenge
Store 5 kgs rice


$20 Challenge
Store 10 kgs rice


Rice again!


We're storing rice because it is a tummy filler, just like pasta.  If you're not a big rice eater, store something you and your family will eat, like pasta or lentils.


Here is some information on rice and rice storage from Week 6 of this challenge: http://denleydiaries.blogspot.com/2011/02/week-6-of-2011-food-storage-challenge.html


There are many varieties of rice to choose from.  Vary your food storage diet by storing long grain varieties for things like fried rice or plain boiled rice to short grain Calrose rice for things like Rice Pudding.