Education
Welcome to the education section of the Preparedness Plus Products, LLC website. Articles on emergency preparedness topics will be posted in this section at the beginning of each month. We hope these articles will be useful to you as you identify and meet your personal preparedness needs.
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Most Recent Article:
Creative Gifts from Preparedness Items
The Christmas spirit is in the air and the day of gift giving will soon be upon us. Because Christmas is about giving from the heart, Preparedness Plus Products, LLC has put together this article to show you how to make creative homemade gifts using preparedness or household items you may already have. In this article, you will find instructions and ideas for decorating empty food storage cans, making cake pops, layering ingredients in a glass jar, creating gift baskets, designing homemade wrapping paper, decorating a wreath and using Mix-A-Meal powdered flavorings.
Reusing Containers Creatively
Why spend the money on a gift bag or store-bought container when you could make your own personalized one from materials you already have? If you have an empty food storage can and a few basic craft supplies, you can do just that. The containers in the picture were created from empty cans, construction paper and scrap fabric. Markers, scissors and hot glue were also used. In Jill Evans’s book Creative Containers (available from Preparedness Plus Products, LLC), you can find patterns for each of these cans, along with many others.
To make the containers in the picture, start out by covering a clean can with construction paper or fabric. When affixing this background piece, it is best to use a hot glue gun and place two vertical lines of glue where the two sides of paper or fabric meet on the can. After cutting off the excess paper, find a pattern you can use as a guide for creating your jar. Cut out the pieces of fabric or construction paper according to the pattern and affix them to the can using hot glue or a glue stick, where appropriate. Use markers to add accents to your can if needed. Then fill your containers with goodies like hot chocolate mix, flavored popcorn, nuts or candy. A great recipe for candied nuts is found later in this article.
Though the pictured containers originated from patterns, your creativity does not have to be limited to patterns. Spend some time getting in touch with your creative side and see what you come up with. Decorating a can turns a simple present, like hot chocolate mix, into a cute and memorable gift.
Making Cake Pops
When winter is on its way, it is nice to be reminded that spring will come again. What better way to do that than to make your friends and family a delicious bouquet of cake pops? Your bouquet will make the perfect office gift and table centerpiece.
Making cake pops is simple. First, bake a cake using your food storage ingredients. A good recipe is found in Mix-A-Meal Cookbook, though an online search can supply you with one, too. Wait until the cake has cooled before dumping it into a large mixing bowl and adding ½ to ¾ of a cup of frosting to it. After mixing up the cake and frosting (which sometimes requires mixing with your hands), form the mixture into balls and place them on a platter that will fit in your freezer.
Allow the cake balls to set in the freezer for about an hour. Then take the balls out and place a lollipop stick (purchased from a craft store) into each ball. Return the balls back into the freezer for an hour.
Make a batch of dipping chocolate (also referred to as chocolate sauce) using stored cocoa powder or make a batch of frosting on the stove top using your dry ingredients. If desired, add food coloring and a Mix-A-Meal powdered flavoring to your frosting. Add half a teaspoon of flavoring at a time and test taste until you find the perfect amount. An alternative to making your own coating is warming up white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate bark in the microwave until it is liquid. Submerge the set cake pops into your sauce and place the pops back on the (completely level) platter for a couple of hours in the freezer.
When these have set, the cake pops will be ready to be made into a bouquet and wrapped with a ribbon. To extend the freshness of the cake pops, place a plastic covering on each pop. Some people like to decorate their cake pops using a frosting bag, sprinkles or other edible décor. It is up to personal taste what you do with your cake pops. Decorated or not, these treats are sure to delight.
Layering Glass Jars
The layered jar gift has been around for years now, but it is still a holiday favorite for many people. This year, instead of putting the typical cookie or brownie mix in a jar, why not include a favorite recipe from Mix-A-Meal Cookbook or Dinner Is in the Jar using your food storage ingredients? The “Oatmeal Cookie Mix” from Mix-A-Meal Cookbook is sure to be a favorite among your friends and neighbors, and the mix only needs water to become a delicious treat. The recipe for “Vegetable and Beef Soup” in Dinner Is in the Jar will provide your friends with a hot meal on a cold winter evening when they are too busy or too tired to cook. If you want to give more than just a meal or treat, gift your loved ones a Mix-A-Meal Cookbook or Dinner Is in the Jar book. You will give them incentive to rotate their food storage and save money all year long.
Creating Gift Baskets
Store-bought gift baskets are convenient, but also expensive and impersonal. Making your own gift basket is a more creative and unique alternative to buying a gift bag or pre-made basket. If you have an empty woven basket or tin, the possibilities are endless. One idea is to weave ribbon throughout the basket’s front or tie a bow around the tin and on the handle, if applicable. You can then fill the basket or tin with tissue paper, tulle, old newspaper, leftover fabric, shreds of construction paper or thin straw. Arrange the gifts you are planning to give in a way you find pleasing. The entire basket or tin can be placed in a giant cellophane bag, wrapped in large decorative cellophane sheets or left without a covering. Be creative when it comes to designing your own gift basket. This is an opportunity to reuse some containers that do not have a use in your home but could brighten someone else’s day.
Designing Homemade Wrapping Paper
If you are looking for a holiday activity to do with children, making your own Christmas wrapping paper is a great idea. Roll out a long strip of light-colored butcher paper (or, for smaller gifts, use a brown paper bag) and lay it on a flat surface. Cut some apples or potatoes into shapes you want to be represented on your wrapping paper. By dipping your apples and potatoes into acrylic paint, the pieces become stamps that can be pressed on the paper. Another option is to gather leaves from outside and place them under the butcher paper while you use crayons to color on the paper. This creates a beautiful nature design. You may want to add glitter or glue small beads or jewels to your paper. Along with a bow, you can use some pinecones, leaves, sticks or small pebbles as decorative toppings for the present.
Decorating a Holiday Wreath
Using your dehydrated apples, you can decorate a welcoming wreath for your loved ones. First, cut up fresh apples into thin slices. Then dip your apples into a saltwater solution, sodium bisulfite or ascorbic acid, which will prevent the apples from browning. Place your apple slices in your Excalibur Dehydrator for 7 to 15 hours or in an oven set at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours. After dehydrating the apples, string them on some craft wire. Then place the apples on the wreath in a circular shape and glue them on with a hot glue gun. Some people like to add adornment to their apple wreaths. Some attach a cinnamon stick or two to the wreath with some thin straw or string. Others like to glue on cranberries. After affixing decorations, spray the wreath with shellac (to preserve the apples). The apples will eventually go bad, but you will be able to keep the wreath throughout the holidays, and you can have fun making another wreath next holiday season.
Using Mix-A-Meal Powdered Flavorings
Mix-A-Meal powdered flavorings are the perfect accentuating ingredient to your favorite holiday treats. The following recipes, provided by Chef Tess, give many ideas for using your Mix-A-Meal powdered flavorings this holiday season.
Salted Caramel Christmas Almonds
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup almonds (pecans or walnuts work as well)
Directions:
Melt butter over low heat with brown sugar. Add nuts and coat. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, combine:
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal butterscotch powdered flavoring
1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal vanilla powdered flavoring
Toss butter coated nuts in the spiced sugar to coat.
Flavor Variations:
Holiday Spiced Nuts: Add 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the second sugar mixture.
Strawberry-crème: Use 1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal strawberry powdered flavoring in with the second sugar mixture along with the Mix-A-Meal vanilla powdered flavoring and Mix-A-Meal butterscotch powdered flavoring.
Christmas in Paradise: Use Macadamia Nuts instead of almonds and use 1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal coconut powdered flavoring in place of the Mix-A-Meal vanilla powdered flavoring in the second sugar mixture. Add 1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal pineapple powdered flavoring.
Spiced Maple Pecans: Use pecans. Use 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Use Mix-A-Meal maple powdered flavoring instead of the Mix-A-Meal butterscotch powdered flavoring in second sugar mixture.
Sweet and Hot Lemon Garlic Pecans (or Almonds)
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup pecans
Directions: Melt butter over low heat with brown sugar. Add nuts and coat. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl combine:
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp each: salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Mix-A-Meal lemon powdered flavoring
Toss butter coated nuts in the seasoning blend.
Sweet Popcorn Sprinkles (to go over hot buttered popcorn or on hot cereals or buttered toast)
Butterscotch Popcorn Sprinkles: 1/2 cup powdered butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp Mix-A-Meal butterscotch powdered flavoring, 1 tsp salt
Strawberry Dipped Chocolate Cream Sprinkles: 1/2 cup sour cream powder, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp Mix-A-Meal chocolate cream powdered flavoring, 1 tsp Mix-A-Meal strawberry powdered flavoring
Orange Creme-sicle Sprinkles: 1/2 cup sour cream powder, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp Mix-A-Meal orange powdered flavoring, 1 tsp Mix-A-Meal vanilla powdered flavoring
Chocolate Coconut Bar Sprinkles: 1/2 cup powdered butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp Mix-A-Meal chocolate cream powdered flavoring, 1 tsp Mix-A-Meal coconut powdered flavoring
More Popcorn Sprinkles
Ranch Popcorn Sprinkles: 1/2 cup powdered buttermilk, 1/4 cup butter powder, 2 Tbsp onion granules, 2 Tbsp garlic salt, 2 Tbsp parsley flakes, 1 tsp pepper
Sour Cream and Onion Sprinkles: 1/2 cup sour cream powder, 1/4 cup butter powder, 2 Tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 Tbsp dehydrated green onion, 1/2 tsp pepper
Salsa Popcorn: 1/2 cup sour cream powder, 1/4 cup butter powder, 2 Tbsp tomato powder, 2 Tbsp Chef Tess Southwest Fajita Seasoning, 1 tsp Mix-a-Meal lemon powder
Pizza Popcorn: 1/2 cup cheese powder, 1/4 cup butter powder, 2 Tbsp tomato powder, 2 Tbsp Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning blend
Preparedness Plus Products, LLC hopes you will be able to use these ideas to recycle or use your preparedness items and bring joy into the lives of others. May this Christmas find you and your loved ones happy and prepared. For information on our quality preparedness products, see www.preparednessplus.net or call 1-800-588-5412 for a free consultation.
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