I Dare You To Eat It

A friend told me that she was on an airplane with her sister-in-law and found herself trying to explain my food story philosophy. I’m sorry.

My food storage philosophy is to just do exactly what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recommended. I am one voice who believes 100% in the information published on www.providentliving.org. I think that information comes from the research efforts of a major university, B.Y.U., and at least 70 years of inspired prophetic leadership.

All I have to add is a visual. Well, and the testimony of a slacker. (I’m not kidding when I say that I don’t like to cook.) In my work as a designer, a major part of my job is to help people see new possibilities for their home. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to share with this website. I can simply give one illustration, possible solutions, of how a food storage, per the exact recommendations of the Church, might look. I can show you mine. And I can put a price on it and tell you how big it’s going to be. (just like what I do with furniture) Oh yea, and I know how to make, I mean, help my family eat it. No gimmicks, allowed. I don’t think we need them. The program is inspired!

If anyone asks you what’s my food storage philosophy please tell them that I believe we should all just follow the direction that comes from the First Presidency. Nothing more, nothing less. If they want to have more details, or further explanation, I hope this website will be useful.

Yes, yes, PLEASE use these pictures! That is exactly why I have posted them. And thank you for the kind support. My sweet artist mother taught private art lessons in our home and would be happy to know that you appreciated the sketches. I hope the iconography is clear enough. Just this morning, Lizzie couldn’t remember #9 so I reminded her that the number nine looks like a circle with a tail…and that the sketch has the tail going on and on, forever…to remind us what we believe about revelation. That’s all it took.

It also got me thinking about how much I enjoyed serving as the Achievement Day Leader, or whatever it’s now called. I think it is exciting to work with the youngest women and try to help them see and understand, maybe for the first time, the power and beauty of the Gospel. I believe that all daughters of God have the potential to be the true executives in Heavenly Father’s kingdom. We’re the ones entrusted with His primary business. We’re the ones trusted to love and manage the home and children. It’s a huge job and a great job!

For over 23 years I’ve run my own interior design business and I’m very thankful to say that during that time I have been blessed to work with great people on exciting projects. But no business success has ever meant as much to me, or given me lasting joy, like the opportunities to work in my own home, for the people I love most. What’s that quote…save a girl…save a nation? You know.

Hey, remind me to share a fun way to teach the vision of the tree of life. (I’ll post the last three sketches tonight.)

THANKS to everyone who has helped me share this website! A nifty tracking system reports each and every time someone recommends www.idareyoutoeatit.com on their blog or adds it to their list of favorites. The word is spreading. Y’all have tons of friends. Thank you for pointing them in my directions. “Unique visits” are coming in from everywhere! (Bet I’m making a list and checking it twice.)

To show my deepest appreciation, I want to GIVE you my #1 very favorite food storage recipe, of all time. (and the crowd goes wild) I just need about two days to get the picture figured out. Lame-o.

I also want to take some time and space, especially right now, to express my thanks for something that’s been on my mind for the past couple of weeks. I’m grateful for the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 23:32-33) and the perspective it gives to my life. Even though I had read this section of the Bible, I didn’t really notice the power of the message until seven years ago when President Gordon B. Hinckley referred to it during the Sunday morning session of General Conference, back in October of 2001. Remember? This was his talk, The Times in Which We Live, and we were still within the very first month of the horrible aftermath that followed September 11th.

It seemed like everyone was ready to listen back then. We desperately wanted direction. I know I was listening with a unique intensity. Our family had recently moved from New York where my husband had worked, only six months earlier, in one of the buildings right next to the Trade Towers. I’ll never forget the thoughts and feelings I experienced as the national news reported that the building Mike had previously worked in every day, was expected to fall down.

The part of the talk that struck me most was when President Hinckley said, “I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings of the Lord as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew.” I grabbed my scriptures. I had to see what the prophet of God could not dismiss from his mind, at this most critical time in our country’s history.

What I found immediately connected, and beyond the grim warnings of wars, famines, and earthquakes, was the beautiful lesson the Savior taught regarding the Second Coming. He taught his disciples about perspective and the promise found in the leaves of a fig tree.

Last Sunday, I taught the Joseph Smith lesson #21, The Second Coming and the Millennium, in Relief Society. Right there in the middle of the lesson I found again, beautiful counsel on perspective. With everything that is going on in the world today, the prophet Joseph Smith’s teachings couldn’t be more timely.

“We see that perilous times have truly come, and the things which we have so long expected have at last begun to usher in; but when you see the fig tree begin to put forth its leaves, you may know that the summer is nigh at hand. There will be a short work on the earth. It has now commenced. I suppose there will soon be perplexity all over the earth. Do not let our hearts faint when these things come upon us, for they must come, or the word cannot be fulfilled.” 

I am so thankful to be reminded that troubled times signal the return of the Savior. I’m thankful to have been given the perspective and promise that what we see today is not all that we get. Just as the fig tree puts forth its leaves, something much bigger is on the way. I want to keep my head up, get prepared both spiritually and temporally, and trust in better times.

My daughter, Sarah, sent me this shot of a lovely bridal bouquet she made at work and it reminded me of yet another great way to use food storage. That’s right, WEDDING GIFTS! Can you stand it? Is there anything that could possibly be more practical?

If only 14 guests would each give 2 cases of food storage, the happy couple would have a year supply completed in one night. But we need www.lds.org to create a wedding registry so that no one ends up with 28 cases of macaroni. That would be bad.

Better yet, we could have bridal showers, or bachelor parties, at the cannery. I haven’t tried this yet but I can totally see myself going there. Tons of theme potential. Besides that, this gift can’t be returned so it becomes sort of a food storage hostage situation. Sounds harsh but may be a good thing. The newlyweds would have to learn how to boil water and use the cases of dry goods for night stands, his and her computer desks, or a custom made dining table.

Wow.

Years ago, one of my good friends who lives in New York, told me about her testimony of pancakes. During a very difficult period of time when her husband was unemployed, she learned to stretch the family’s food budget by serving pancakes for dinner at least a couple of times each week. Her five children loved the meal and were happy for a break from the typical main course and vegetables. They didn’t recognize it as a hardship.

Years later, I still remember standing in her kitchen, admiring her ability to adapt in trying times, and realizing that I could stand to learn from that example. She taught me how small and simple changes can make a big difference.

Fresh Ingredients

1 c. milk or buttermilk

2 eggs

Storage Ingredients

3/4 c. whole wheat kernels

2 Tbsp. honey or sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

4 Tbsp. oil

Pour milk into blender. Add wheat kernels and blend on high for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and continue to blend for an additional 10 minutes. If the batter is too thin allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to thicken. Cook pancakes as usual and serve with 100% pure maple syrup from your food storage, of course.

Last year, in November of 2007, the Young Single Adults of the Salt Lake Bonneville Stake, participated in a terrific service project. Early one Saturday morning, they met at the dry pack cannery and quickly canned white wheat. Our Stake Relief Society President, Laurie Little, printed this pancake recipe, with permission from President Clark and Kathleen Hinckley, on adhesive labels and had the Y.S.A.s place the recipe right on the side of each individual can. Then, following the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference, a can of wheat with the blender pancake recipe was given to each family in attendance.

This proved to be a great activity and gift. The young people in our Stake learned how easy it is to use the dry pack cannery and they contributed a much needed service. The families in our Stake received a fresh can of wheat with an easy recipe for using it. If you’re looking for something to share at Christmas time that encourages the principles of provident living, you might consider giving this activity a try. It would also make an excellent neighborhood present.

….and I quote:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. (All Is Safely Gathered In pamphlet, www.providentliving.org)

Maybe food storage reflects our stewardship and charity. Investing in provident living, many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are choosing to be part of a worldwide team, prepared with extra food, “so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.”

The goal has always been sharing, not hoarding. Let’s choose now to make the necessary preparations, both spiritual and temporal, which will enable us to say yes if the Bishop needs to call for our food storage. That’s the team I want to be on.

My visiting teachers are coming in the next fifteen minutes so I thought I would quickly tell you about my visiting teaching field trips to the dry pack cannery. I totally believe in preparing the message each month, having a prayer before as a companionship, and praying together as sisters in the home. I also believe that visiting teachers can offer to help lift a bit of the load. I actually think it’s fun and interesting to work together. So, in addition to doing the monthly sit-on-the-couch thing, sometimes I invite all the sisters I visit teach to join me at the cannery. The work is easier when there are many hands and besides that, everyone looks great in a hairnet.

Fresh Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

15 10″ tortillas

toppings: baby spinach leaves, grated cheese, diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, and Ranch dressing

Storage Ingredients

2 c. cooked whole wheat berries

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. chili powder

* 1 packet of taco seasoning may be used as a substitution for individual spices

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in the cooked wheat berries and spices. Spoon meat mixture onto warm tortillas and top with fresh baby spinach, grated cheese, diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, and Ranch dressing.

During one of my food storage presentations a woman shared how she substitutes cooked whole wheat berries for ground beef. She seasons it just as you normally would for tacos to create a very healthy vegetarian alternative. If that sounds too hard core, consider giving this recipe a try. I made them for my daughter that lives in Oregon and she thought they were amazing. Hippie tacos is her name for our little culinary invention. Guess she’s in the zone.

The book, I Dare You to Eat It, has over forty every-day recipes that combine long-term storage ingredients with items routinely purchased from the grocery store. People who know about these things have told me that I shouldn’t print those recipes on this website or I’ll be “cannibalizing” the book. Now that’s scary.

What I can do, in good conscience, is share all the new recipes I find…and I would love you to help. I’m always on the hunt for recipes that are easy to prepare and use a portion of the long-term storage ingredients (wheat, rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes) in combinations with short-term storage (three-month supply) ingredients. It’s okay if these food storage recipes call for a few fresh ingredients. The prophet has never asked us to stop going to the grocery store. Sometimes we make food storage harder than it needs to be. I’m trying to make my food storage as normal as possible and the fresh ingredients make all the difference in the world.

If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it to me! With as few as only six recipes in each of the five categories of wheat, rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes, you can have a month’s worth of menus compiled. Then, all you need to do is purchase the specific recipe ingredients (bottled, canned, or dried) in groups of three and your three-month supply will be completed and ready to be used.

Besides the fact that the prophet has asked us to live this way, the advantage of having meals organized for at least the next three months is incredibly liberating and actually frees up time, every single day.

Tomorrow, or the next day, I’ll try to post the recipe for Hippie Tacos. Peace out.