The Night Shift

If you read the title, can't you just hear the Commodores singing "On The Night Shift." I can.

I'm just sitting at work with nothing to do for five minutes. I have been quite busy lately with many things, and I become overwhelmed when I think of all that I have to do/need to do.

I need to clean my house and do laundry. Those two things are never-ending. It seems that as soon as I finish them, I need to start all over.

I am constantly planning meals and making grocery lists. I am constantly going over my food storage lists. I need more wheat, beans, milk, dried eggs, dried fruits and veggies. I have around sixty boxes of cereal; when cereal is $.50 per box, it's hard to pass up that deal. Plus I think cold cereal has lots of vitamins and minerals for a family of four to survive. Yes, I do rotate the cereal. I have them arranged by expiration date.

Food storage has been paramount in my mind. I am constantly checking online for deals on wheat, rice, different beans, dehydrated foods, etc. I am even thinking of getting a dehydrator to dry my own fruit and veggies. I can store what I make in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I can just hear Kim now: "That is so UTAH!" I know it is, but if something ever happened, I have two little boys to feed.

Kellie and I attended a class on how to use your beans in food storage. I have learned many interesting tidbits. I learned how to make beans less gassy. I learned how to replace solid fats (butter, etc.) in baking with beans. I got tons of recipes that use only food storage ingredients. I even learned how to make a pinto bean pie for one rootin' and tootin' Thanksgiving. I've also learned how to grind up dried beans to make a bean flour. You can use the flour for breads, cookies, etc. You can also make yummy refried beans by adding some seasoning to the pinto flour. Who knew? I learned how to sprout dried beans to plant for more crops.

Marty even went to the cannery to can some wheat, beans, sugar, potato pearls, and powdered milk for us. What a man! Every week grocery shopping, I try to buy two small bags of each of the following: white rice, brown rice, barley, beans, lentils, green peas. I also buy 2 gallons of water each week.

Who knew I would be so into food storage. I remember dad telling me while I was planning my wedding not to go overboard. "Use that money for food storage." Well, I didn't go overboard. But I wish I had started my food storage in earnest much sooner.

Hope you are all doing well. I hope you are enjoying the blog. It's pretty fun except for this boring entry I know. Thanks for letting me wax philosophical about food storage.