The Top 10 Most Common Emergency Food Fails

Meals In A Jar Monday: Baked Cauliflouwer Pasta

Baked Cauliflower Pasta
Printable Recipe
2 cups pasta, elbow, ziti, or other small tube pasta
1 ½ cups Freeze Dried Cauliflower
½ cup Freeze Dried Sausage
1 tablespoon garlic
¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
 

Add when cooking: (you could add these to the jar if using freeze dried but I prefer to add them later).
1 can petite diced tomatoes, don’t drain
1 cup or more, Mozzarella Cheese, grated.

1. Bring a large Dutch oven, or other oven safe pot, of water (6-8 cups) to a boil. Add pasta, freeze dried cauliflower, and sausage. Cook until pasta is chalky but almost tender. Drain. Return to the pan.
2. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Monday Meals in a Jar: Hamburger Soup

Today I’m starting a new feature.  Each Monday I’ll be sharing a meal in a jar. 


Why do I like meals in a jar?

·         It is a great way to use your food storage, and keep it rotated.

·         It makes food storage fast food. –Usually all you have to do is dump and add water. 

·         It helps me know what my family really likes to eat from our food storage.  This way when it is time to stalk up I’ll know what we like. 

Hamburger Soup
My kids (even the picky eater) loved this soup.  It was filling and delicious.
This soup uses a combination of freeze dried and dehydrated veggies.  So when you are cooking it you’ll want to make sure that the dehydrated veggies are completely rehydrated and cooked.  They always take longer than the freeze dried.
 Be sure to watch the water level I often end up adding a little more water at the end to make it the consistency I like.

Hamburger Soup
Printable recipe

In a quart jar:

1 cup instant red beans

1/3 cup dehydrated carrots

1/3 cup freeze dried peas

1/3 cup freeze dried corn

1 cup Freeze Dried Ground Beef

1 Cup dehydrated potato chunks/dices

¼ cup freeze dried onion

Seasonings I shake down into the jar:

½ cup tomato powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon Lawery’s Seasoning Salt (or similar)

1 T beef bullion.

It will fit if you shake it really well. 

If you are storing for a for a long time be sure to add an oxygen absorber or seal with a food saver, if you plan to use in the next month and live in a dry climate you will be fine just putting it in the jar.  

To prepare Hamburger Soup:

In a gallon pot, combine stew mix with 8 cups water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.  Check water level,  I often add more water to make it the consistency I like. 

Just before serving add 2 Tablespoons butter.  Stir in until melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Fall Soups--Hearty Beef and Bean Chili made with instant beans

Okay are you storing instant beans?  If not it is time to start.  They are parboiled (like instant rice) and so there is no soaking, a few minutes of simmering and your beans are ready.  LOVE it.  Seriously change your life (okay maybe only if you are serious about food storage).

Hearty Beef and Bean Chili
printable recipe
1 T butter
1 T garlic
1 c thrive ground beef (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive sausage crumbles (fd)
9 c water
2 c thrive instant red beans
1⁄2 c thrive green chili peppers (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive chopped onions
1⁄2 c thrive red bell peppers (fd)
2 T thrive tomato powder
1⁄2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1⁄2 T thrive chef's choice seasoning blend
1 T thrive beef bouillon
1 T lime juice
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T cholula hot sauce
1⁄2 c thrive espagnole sauce, dry

In a stock pot, sweat garlic and butter together. Add beef and sausage and stir until lightly browned. Add water, then all remaining ingredients except sauce powder. Simmer for 12 minutes. Add espagnole slowly while whisking. Bring back to a simmer for 3 minutes. Allow to rest. 2–3 minutes before serving.

Notes:  If you want to substitute fresh ingredients use the same quantity as called for freeze dried.

Fall Soups--Minestrone Soup

Now that it is fall, we are eating soup at least once a week.  The boys at home house love that this recipe has both ground beef and sausage.  Recipe note: if you don't have the freeze dried ingredient substitute the same quantity of fresh. 

Minestrone Soup
printable recipe
1 T garlic
2 T butter
1⁄2 c thrive sausage crumbles (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive ground beef (fd)
10 c water
1⁄4 c thrive instant red beans
1⁄2 c thrive mushroom pieces (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive chopped onions (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive celery (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive tomato dices (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive carrot dices
1⁄4 c thrive broccoli (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive red bell peppers (fd)
1 T thrive Italian seasoning blend
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1⁄4 c thrive green chili peppers (fd)
2 T thrive beef bouillon
3⁄4 c thrive elbow macaroni
1⁄4 c thrive chopped spinach (fd) + 1/4 c. thrive green onions (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive tomato sauce

In a large pot sweat butter and garlic together. Stir in ground beef and sausage and lightly brown. Add water and all remaining ingredients except pasta, spinach, green onions, and tomato sauce. Cook for 6 minutes at a medium simmer. Add pasta and simmer for 3 minutes. Add spinach, green onions, and tomato sauce and simmer for 3–4 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Notes--Recipe featured in October 2013 Thrive It Up broadcast.

Fall Soups--Tuscan Tomato Soup

As the weather turns cold I love to eat soup.  I love how the tomato and basil work together in this soup.



Tuscan Tomato Soup  recipe by Chef Todd


1 T garlic, minced
1⁄2 T olive oil
1⁄2 c thrive chopped onions (fd)
1⁄2 c thrive mushroom pieces (fd)
10 c water
1⁄2 c thrive tomato dices (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive celery (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive carrot dices
1⁄2 c thrive green chili peppers (fd)
1⁄4 c thrive tomato powder
1 T thrive Italian seasoning blend
1⁄2 T thrive chef's choice seasoning blend
1 t thrive iodized salt
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 1⁄2 c thrive classic tomato sauce
3⁄4 c basil pesto

Make croutons by mixing 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. THRIVE Chef's Choice Seasoning Blend, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Coat 2 c. sourdough bread dices with mixture and toast in oven for 12-15 minutes at 350 F or until lightly browned.
In a large pot sweat garlic and olive oil together until lightly browned. Add onion and mushrooms dry and lightly brown. Add water and all remaining soup ingredients except tomato sauce and pesto and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pesto. Serve with croutons

You can watch Chef Todd make it here. 

An Awesome Summer Sale on Thrive foods

The end of summer is approaching, my kids go back to school next week (Hurray!) and we are getting ready for fall. With the craziness of summer we have relied on eating out of our home store and it is time to stock back up. Luckily Thrive Life (formerly Shelf Reliance) is having one of the biggest sales of the year.

You’ll save 20–40% on every THRIVE item featured in this exclusive Home Party sale, plus great discounts on food rotation systems and emergency items.

I'm most excited about these items

• Freeze Dried Beef Dices $42.79--You Save $11.40
• Freeze Dried Chicken, Seasoned Slices $36.29 --You Save $9.60
• Freeze Dried Grapes, Red Seedless $35.99--You save $6.80
• Freeze Dried Pineapple Chunks $27.89--You save $5.60
• Freeze Dried Cheese, Mozzarella $33.59--You Save $4.20

*all sizes are on sale I've listed the #10 can prices.

See everything on sale here . Including the Harvest 51 rotating shelf and solar panel.

For all you real nerds here is the breakdown of everything on sale including % off, cost per serving, etc.

This sale will last until September 2nd OR go until inventory is gone. Don't wait too long, in the past we've sold out quickly. 
If you want more information, visit my page about the Thrive-a-ganza Sale. 

It's been a while since Thrive Life had  a great sale, but this is a great one and well worth a look.

That's it from me for now. I'm headed off to enjoy the last few moments of summer.

PS: For those of you looking to make a large purchase you might want to think about becoming a consultant and earning commission on all of your orders.