German Potato Soup.

So far I have only made this recipe with Thrive onions and carrots but I'm sure you could also use Thrive Potato Dices or Potato Chunks and Beef Bouillon.

German Potato Soup

4 tablespoons butter
2-4 tablespoons Thrive FD Carrots
1/4 cup Thrive FD Chopped Onion
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced
32-48 ounces (4-6 cups) beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Splash of vinegar

Combine butter, carrots, onions, and potatoes in a slow cooker. Add enough beef stock to cover all the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours.
     Use a potato masher or spoon to mash some of the potatoes for thickening the soup. Cover and let cook for 30 more minutes on low. Add a hint of vinegar and serve. Yield: 3-4 servings.

Food For Thought-Answers.

Here are the answers to the Food for Thought quiz I posted last week.

How much does an average family of four spend on food in a year? $6000

What percent of that will go to waste? 25%/$1250

What percent of that will be impulsive buying? 50%

How many times does the average family eat around the table in a week? 3

What percent of the grocery store food is processed? 90%

What percent of Thrive food is processed? 10%

How many calories in a typical THRIVE home cooked meal? 600

How many calories in a typical fast food drive thru meal? 1500-2000

How long does it take to prepare a regular home cooked meal? 30 minutes~1 hour

How long does it take to cook a THRIVE meal? 10~15  minutes

What percentage of our food budget is used on eating out? 40%

How many times a week do you go to the store to pick up one thing, and pick up many more items than just the one? 1-2 times

If I can show you a way to save time, money, serve more healthy meals, and get your family back around the table, would that interest you? If your answer to this question is YES, send me a quick e-mail, survivewiththrive@gmail.com.

Spectacular New Preparedness Package.

You won’t want to miss this! Shelf Reliance is offering a great package for a limited time only to all home party customers and it's an amazing package!

Complete 3-month, 2-person Food Supply with 55-gallon Barrel Water Storage System

4,251 Total Servings
Averages Over 2,000 Calories
Per Person Per Day
96 #10 Cans

$1399.99 Value for only $973.00, plus tax and shipping.  In addition you will get $100 in free food of your choice and you can order an additional $150 for 50% off!  AMAZING!!!

Need something to hold all that food? Add a 72” Harvest to hold the can for only $264.99 (retails for $459.99).  Shelf Reliance is known for providing unsurpassed quality in all of its products, and their line of food storage is no different. THRIVE Food Storage is a premium name you can trust. Every THRIVE product has been carefully selected based on taste and quality. We are confident that you will look forward to using THRIVE in your everyday meal planning and emergency food storage.

The Shelf Reliance Complete 3-Month, 2-Person Food Supply with Water Storage System was designed to provide you with a package complete with a supply of both food and water. This package provides two people with over 2000 calories per person/day for up to 3 months. Contents for this package were based off of the USDA Food Pyramid to provide a well-balanced diet. With the wide selection this pack presents, you'll get a taste of the best foods THRIVE has to offer. Each can contains usage suggestions, recipes, and helpful information about re-hydration. This package also includes other useful tools to help you to become better prepared.

The Complete 3-Month, 2-Person Food Supply with Water Storage System comes complete with 96 #10 (gallon size) cans of grains, fruits, veggies, protein & beans, dairy and baking essentials and also includes a 55-gallon barrel water storage system. With over 4000 servings and many foods with a shelf life of up to 25 years, this package will give you variety, nutrition, and peace of mind.

• 4,251 total servings
• Simple re-hydration instructions and recipes included on each can
• Foods are contained in 96 #10 (gallon size) cans
• Over 2000 calories per person/day for up to three months

Grains/Starch

• 6 Hard White Winter Wheat (44 servings per can/170 calories per serving)
• 4 Potato Chunks (42 servings per can/80 calories per serving)
• 6 Elbow Macaroni (25 servings per can/210 calories per serving)
• 6 Six Grain Pancake Mix (46 servings per can/140 calories per serving)
• 3 Cornmeal (48 servings per can/150 calories per serving)
• 3 Quick Oats (24 servings per can/170 calories per serving)
• 6 Instant White Rice (48 servings per can/80 calories per serving)

Fruits/Veggies

• 6 Sweet Corn – Freeze Dried (46 servings per can/35 calories per serving)
• 6 Green Peas – Freeze Dried (41 servings per can/50 calories per serving)
• 3 Broccoli – Freeze Dried (52 servings per can/10 calories per serving)
• 3 Raspberries – Freeze Dried (48 servings per can/20 calories per serving)
• 2 Strawberries – Freeze Dried (45 servings per can/20 calories per serving)
• 6 Apple Chips (47 servings per can/35 calories per serving)
• 3 Carrot Dices (49 servings per can/90 calories per serving)
• 3 Mixed Bell Pepper (42 servings per can/50 calories per serving)
• 3 Potato Beads (44 servings per can/20 calories per serving)

Dairy/Cheese

• 6 Non-Fat Powdered Milk (43 servings per can/110 calories per serving)
• 4 Chocolate Drink Mix (48 servings per can/190 calories per serving)
• 2 Cheddar Blend (52 servings per can/140 calories per serving)

Meats/Beans

• 2 Bacon TVP (47 servings per can/80 calories per serving)
• 2 Beef TVP (45 servings per can/100 calories per serving)
• 2 Chicken TVP (45 servings per can/80 calories per serving)
• 2 Taco TVP (42 servings per can/130 calories per serving)
• 2 Pinto Beans (58 servings per can/60 calories per serving)
• 2 Black Beans (65 servings per can/70 calories per serving)
• Kidney Beans (44 servings per can/90 calories per serving)
• Whole Eggs (236 servings per can/35 calories per serving)

Discretionary Calories

• THRIVE Orange Drink (88 servings per can/110 calories per serving)

Other Tools Included:

• Deluxe Wheat Grinder
• Sturdy and compact
• Cone shaped burrs are self-aligning
• Smooth, even milling
• Creates 1/2 cup of fine flour per minute
• Create grains at a fraction of the cost of store-bought
• Stores easily in drawers, cupboards, and other small spaces
• Adjustable texture settings
• Stainless steel construction

The Shelf Reliance Water Storage System includes the following:

• 55 Gallon Water Container
• Barrel is made from high-density polyethylene (food grade/ BPA Free).
• Barrel comes in blue color to restrict light, which helps to control the growth of bacteria and algae.
• Barrel weight when full is approximately 480 lbs.
• Water Pump - (45" long, 3" wide) Hose (47" long, 1"wide)
• Sturdy Bung Wrench - doubles as a gas shutoff tool and provides access to storage barrels of all sizes.
• Water Treatment Solution - easy to follow instructions that allows water storage for up to 5 years.
• Detailed instructions of how to prepare your water storage.

To take advantage of this offer, send me an e-mail at survivewiththrive@gmail.com

Food For Thought.

Quiz time! Lisa Warnick came up with this little quiz. I will post the answers in a few days. See how many you can answer correctly.


1. How much does an average family of four spend on food in a year?


2. What percent of that will go to waste?


3. What percent of that will be impulsive buying?


4. How many times does the average family eat around the table in a week?


5. What percent of the grocery store food is processed?


6. What percent of Thrive food is processed?


7. How many calories in a typical THRIVE home cooked meal?


8. How many calories in a typical fast food drive thru meal?


9. How long does it take to prepare a regular home cooked meal?


10. How long does it take to cook a THRIVE meal?


11. What percentage of our food budget is used on eating out?


12. How many times a week do you go to the store to pick up one thing?


13. If I can show you a way to save time, money, serve more healthy meals, and get your family back around the table, would that interest you?

Spring Specials.

Fruits
Apple Slices $12.29

Vegetables
Broccoli (FD) $15.39
Onions, Chopped $10.89


Grains
Barley, Pearled $5.89
Germade $6.79
Rice, White $7.59


Meats & Beans
Small White Navy Beans $9.89


Basics
Beef Bouillon $21.39




*All prices above are for #10 cans and are 20% off retail price. Above prices are available when ordering through me. Please send an e-mail to survivewiththrive@gmail.com.

Baked Chicken Penne.

Baked Chicken Penne

1½ tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish

¼ pound penne rigate

¼ teaspoon olive oil

1 cup mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

2½ tablespoons flour, divided

1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1½ cups whole milk

¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup THRIVE chicken dices, rehydrated

Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, start cooking pasta. Cook 3 minutes short of al dente (about 8 minutes); drain pasta and set aside.


     While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Saute mushrooms until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed.


     In a large saucepan, melt 1½ tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, for 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in provolone and 1/4 cup Parmesan; then stir in the chicken.


     Place pasta in baking dish and cover with sauce and stir a bit. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper on top.


     Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 2-3 servings.

Tomato Sauce.

Makes 8 ounces.

2 1/2 tablespoons THRIVE tomato powder
3/4 cup warm water

Stir tomato powder into water.

Awesome Q Promotion!

Today Shelf Reliance announced a new rewards program that gives you the opportunity to get more out of the Q.

Shelf Reliance is offering a great promotion for the Q Club. Contact me at survivewiththrive@gmail.com for more information and for help becoming a Q Club Platinum member.

If you are unfamiliar with the Q, it is a monthly food storage program that takes the stress out of building a long term food supply. You create your own custom plan, set up a monthly budget and pay as you go. You can read more here: http://www.shelfreliance.com/productqueue/.

Whole Wheat Tortillas.

I have adapted this recipe from one found at Shelf Reliance. I made golf ball sized balls of dough, rolled them quite thin and they weren't very big, about 6 inches. And it only made 12 tortillas. If you want more tortillas or larger ones, you may want to double the recipe accordingly. If you don't roll them super thin, you may want to increase the cooking times also.


Whole Wheat Tortillas


1/2 cup THRIVE white flour
2 cups THRIVE whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon THRIVE iodized salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup boiling water
Additional flour for rolling

Sift together white flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Add shortening with a fork, pastry cutter or hands and mix until crumbly.
     Make a well in the center of the mixture, then pour boiling water in the well. Mix with a fork until all of the water is evenly incorporated. Dough should be soft and not sticky. If dough is too flaky, add more water 2 tablespoons at a time until dough comes together. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with a bit of additional flour and knead until the dough does not stick to fingers.
     Form dough into balls about the size of golf balls and place them on a tray. Cover with a cloth and let sit for 1 hour.
     Heat a griddle or large frying pan over medium-high heat.
     On a lightly floured surface, roll out a tortilla as thinly as you prefer. Fry the first side for 10-15 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and let it cook for approximately 15-30 more seconds.

Emergency Supplies.

Once you have an emergency plan in place, probably the next thing to do would be to start collecting emergency supplies. Shelf Reliance has a handy tool to help you accomplish this task. Here you can create an emergency kit customized to your family's needs. It consists of products in four categories: shelter, food and water, first aid, and tools. Even if you can't purchase the whole kit, this still helps you see what sorts of things you should have.

First, you put in your last name.

Second, you list the members in your family and their ages.

Third, select a plan duration (1 to 14 day supply), plan strength (quality of products), plan type (traditional, school or travel). You can also pick certain disasters that you would like to be prepared for: volcano, tornado, flood, wild fire, terror attack, earthquake, urban unrest, hurricane and blizzard.

By clicking here, you can watch a short tutorial video on setting up an emergency kit planner.

Emergency Preparedness Month.

This month is National Emergency Preparedness Month. One of the best ways to be prepared is by creating a family emergency plan. You can create one here. Don't forget to discuss it with your family, too.

Throughout the month I will be posting more info about being prepared. Don't forget to check back!

Hawaiian Haystacks.

Hawaiian Haystacks

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup THRIVE freeze dried onions, rehydrated
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups THRIVE freeze dried chicken dices, rehydrated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
Cooked rice
Toppings of your choice (olives, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, pineapple, mandarin oranges, chow mein noodles, etc.)

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.
     Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute, stirring continuously. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt and pepper. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
     Serve the chicken sauce over rice with toppings of your choice. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Adapted from a recipe found at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Salsa Verde Tostadas.

I got brave with this recipe and used some TVP. When I opened the can, though, I wasn't too sure about it. I planned on doing a 50/50 mixture but instead used 1 3/4 cups freeze dried chicken and 3/4 cup chicken TVP. You could probably also use freeze dried cheese and beans in this recipe.


I adapted this recipe to our tastes from one found at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I'm not sure how many servings this recipe is supposed to make. The original recipe called for 4 flour tortillas. We like corn tortillas better and I could have topped probably 10 of those with the amount of chicken mixture the recipe makes. I also adjusted the amount of cheese because we like more cheese than the original recipe used. You may want to adjust the number of tortillas and amount of cheese according to how much you want to pile on your tortillas. Also, the flavor of the chicken or pork will intensify if marinated for a couple hours, not necessary but probably worth it.

Salsa Verde Tostadas

Corn or flour tortillas (4 or more)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups THRIVE freeze dried chicken or chicken TVP
1 cup green salsa (salsa verde) plus more for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Toppings of your choice (lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, olives, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortillas on a baking sheet. Toss cheeses together in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over tortillas. Bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
     Meanwhile, rehydrate chicken. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, salsa verde, cilantro, beans and cumin. Spoon mixture evenly over the tortillas and bake until heated through, about 8 minutes.
     Serve with toppings and additional green salsa.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches


1 1/2 cups THRIVE freeze-dried chicken
1/2 cup THRIVE celery
1/3 cup THRIVE onion
3 cups water
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Combine chicken, celery, onion and water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer until reconstituted (about 10 minutes). Put the mixture in a colander and let the water drain for about 10 minutes. Make sure to get all excess water out. Set aside in the refrigerator until cool.

Combine the cooled chicken mixture with mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto bread or crackers.

Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Here is a handy recipe for sweetened condensed milk. Lately I like to drizzle this on fruit (especially strawberries) or make Brazilian Lemonade.

Sweetened Condensed Milk


1 cup THRIVE instant milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon THRIVE butter powder
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups.


Brazilian Lemonade


4 juicy limes
1 cup sugar
6 cups cold water
6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. (This step can be done ahead of time.)

Wash limes thoroughly. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in a blender and add 1/2 of the sugar water. Place the lid on the blender and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp from the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk.

Taste test the lemonade. If it is bitter, add some more sugar and maybe a little more sweetened condensed milk. Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well so you'll want to drink it all right away, which shouldn't be a problem because it's so yummy! Yield: 4 servings.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos.

This recipe also came from Our Best Bites, but I did change a couple things. Click on the title below to see their recipe and pictures. You can prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos


1/3 cup (3 ounces) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups THRIVE freeze-dried chicken dices
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
Small corn tortillas
Kosher salt
Cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rehydrate chicken. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
     Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder; stir. Add green onions, chicken and cheese and combine well.
     Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat in the microwave between damp paper towels, about 20-30 seconds. If they crack or come unrolled shortly after you roll them up, try heating them longer.
     Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll the tortilla up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Secure with a toothpick if you like. Fill and roll all the tortillas and lay on the baking sheet so they aren't touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with some kosher salt.
     Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole. Yield: 14-16 taquitos.

Baked Chicken Penne.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe from Our Best Bites. I think next time I make this I will substitute some bacon for the sun-dried tomatoes. I also had a bit of provolone cheese left over that I sprinkled on top-yummy!

Baked Chicken Penne

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish

1/2 pound penne rigate

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup THRIVE freeze-dried chicken dices

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

3 cups whole milk

3/4 cup THRIVE freeze-dried mushrooms

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Rehydrate the chicken and mushrooms. In a large pot of boiling salted water, start cooking pasta. Cook 3 minutes short of al dente (mine was about 8 minutes); drain pasta and set aside.

     While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes).

     In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, for 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in provolone and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Add chicken to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.

     Place pasta in baking dish and cover with sauce and stir a bit. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top.

     Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4-6 servings.