I WON A MAJOR AWARD!

No it wasn't a fishnet stocking covered leg lamp stamped 'fra-jee-lay' on the box.

At the Allegany Community Chili Cookoff ( I was invited to attend and set up a Shelf Reliance table with samples ) on Saturday night, my THRIVE 20 minute chili recipe won 2nd runner up out of 12 contenders! I was absolutely shocked! Not that I didn't think my chili was good, but that 3 judges, experienced judges mind you, gave my recipe an official stamp of approval! Mind you it didn't earn that shiny golden trophy I had my eye on, but it will suffice for my first attempt using ALL THRIVE foods in a recipe!

What a neat little community get together! Such neighborliness and friendship. And great food, laughter, socializing and sharing. It was like a church social without the prayers.

In 3 weeks they are having a community Shelf Reliance tasting party. The proceeds from the sales will all be donated to stock their community center as an emergency shelter in the event of a disaster. This little community of 300-400 homes is doing something proactive to take care of themselves. They know that small isolated areas will be hard to rescue. Big cities will come first. I am so excited to help them on their quest to be self sufficient! This is a great example of what neighborhoods, communities and cities should be putting into place. Americans have a history of helping ourselves and neighbors through hard times. If your area isn't involved in something like this yet, at least YOU can be by taking steps to insure your own household can take care of themselves.

When it comes to being prepared, you don't want to be a runner up, an also ran. You want first prize!

Here is the recipe if you'd like to try it:

THRIVE 20 minute chili
by Dorie

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
Add 2 1/2 C. THRIVE instant beans; red, pinto & black
Simmer 20 minutes

In another saucepan, mix together on low heat:
1/4 C. each of THRIVE freeze dried onions, peppers, celery
3/4 C. water
2 T. THRIVE tomato powder
1 T. chili powder
2 t. THRIVE sugar
1 t. cumin powder
1/2 t. habenero powder
1/2 t. minced garlic
1 cube Knorr chipotle seasoning
4-6 oz. canned green chili sauce

When beans have been simmering 15 minutes, add:
1 C. THRIVE freeze dried sausage crumbles
1 C. THRIVE ground beef crumbles
1/2 C. THRIVE bacon TVP
1 C. THRIVE freeze dried sweet corn

Combine seasonings and beans together. Mix well and simmer 5-10 more minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste, add more water for thinner chili.

Serve with THRIVE cornbread recipe, THRIVE powdered butter reconsituted and THRIVE cheddar or mozzerella cheese reconsituted.
WHO SAID FOOD STORAGE MEALS HAD TO BE BLAND!
ENJOY!

Quick and Easy Custard Pie

Well, it's about time I posted something new here. I was browsing through Facebook today when I noticed a new recipe in "Just a Pinch". So I clicked over and took a look. Now I probably wouldn't have looked twice but it was early in the day and I hadn't eaten. The picture looked yummy and so I quickly jotted it down. Let me tell you, it is SUPER easy! The recipe calls for traditional ingredients but I got a great idea to substitute some Thrive foods where I could. This is the recipe:

Super Easy Custard Pie
Get our your blender
Put in- 4 eggs (I used Thrive whole egg powder reconstituted)
3/4 C. sugar (you could use your Thrive sugar)
2 C. milk (I used reconstituted Thrive Instant milk)
pinch of salt
1/4 C. melted butter (I used real butter)
2 t. vanilla
1/2 C. flour (you could use your Thrive white or wheat flour)

Mix all these ingredients in the blender for about 30 seconds or so ( I told you it was easy!)
Pour into a greased 9" pie plate (hint: put the pie plate in the oven first and then pour the custard mix into it. It splashes out easily when you try to walk with it or move your oven racks with the full pie plate on it)(I learned this the hard way today!) Sprinkle liberally with Nutmeg.
Bake this for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

The mixture separates and makes it's own crust on the bottom. Now it's not like a crunchy crust so don't be expecting that. It's more gooey than crisp although the next time I might just put it on the bottom rack and see how it turns out. You can see how mine turned out below.

Here's a closer look:

I think if I had been surviving on my food storage staples of whole wheat, beans, oats, powdered milk and rice for a while, a nice little custard dish like this one would be greatly appreciated! Next time I'm going to add COCONUT! Perhaps I will use my coconut macaroon mix with it...

Dawn of a new year one day at a time

Welcome to my blog spot "Eat To Live". My name is Dorie Smith and I'm here to be of service! Here you will find helpful hints, inspirational nudges and practical advice on how to use food storage to enhance your diet and benefit your family as well as your budget.

You get to take these daily steps as I take them for I am a new consultant for Shelf Reliance/Thrive foods and emergency products.

The title of my blog comes from a quote on my favorite Aunt Jan's refrigerator, left there by her husband, my Uncle Clyde. It said "WE DON'T LIVE TO EAT, WE EAT TO LIVE". Too much of my life I have chosen the former rather than the latter sentiment. 2011 and my new life as a food storage consultant have prompted me to look at food from a different perspective. In case of emergency, I want to have at least 3-6 months of stored items to provide my family with foods they will actually eat! And I want to learn how to use them often so I am used to them. We have auto insurance, life insurance, health insurance. I want my family to have food insurance too!

Using freeze dried foods added to my basic food storage, I plan to have nutritious and interesting meals that go beyond wheat, beans, sugar, milk, oil and salt!

Let's get started! I will be posting recipes that you can try, using as much food storage ingredients as I have on hand, adapted to what you may have.

You will also be able to contact me by email, to become a member of my customer list. This will give you discounts on your Thrive purchases through me. We'll talk more on that as I learn. Baby steps, you know. Baby steps!

Tomorrow my menu consists of a fresh fruit/spinach smoothie for 2 snacks, 6 grain pancakes with coconut oil and maple syrup, tuna salad sandwich and for dinner, sweet and sour meatballs and rice!

THIS RECIPE CAN BE USED WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS AS WELL AS STORAGE FOODS.

THRIVE FOODS MAKE IT CONVENIENT AS THE LARGE CANS (#10) LAST LONG (15-30 YEARS UNOPENED, 6 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS OPENED).

THRIVE online recipe_Sweet & Sour Meatballs
This simple ground beef recipe has an extra appeal with the addition of sweet and sour flavors.
Prep Time
1 hour
Yield
10 servings10Source
Christy Horn - Recipe Contest 3rd Place Winner

Ingredients
1⁄2 c dry bread crumbs
1⁄4 c thrive instant milk, prepared
1 T thrive iodized salt
1⁄2 t worcestershire sauce
1 thrive whole egg, prepared
1⁄2 c thrive brown sugar, packed
1 T cornstarch
1 cn pineapple tidbits with juice
1⁄3 c vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1⁄8 c thrive red & green bell peppers
2 c thrive ground beef, rehydrated (or 1 lb hamburger)
1⁄8 c thrive chopped onions
Instructions
* Mix hamburger, dry bread crumbs, instant milk, onions, salt, worcestershire sauce, and egg together; shape into twenty 1 1/2" sized balls.
* Place in skillet and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown (about 20 minutes)
OR
bake in an ungreased 9x13" pan at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until light brown.
* Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in a skillet. Stir in pineapple, juice, vinegar, and soy sauce.
* Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, then add meatballs and peppers.
* Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.
http://www.shelfreliance.com/

ENJOY! We'll talk again tomorrow. ~Dorie