No C word allowed

[bilboraggins]

As there are lots of threads, good threads that I keep up with here, about the topic I just wondered if anyone would be interested in having a c word free prepper chat.

The kind of thread @bellinisurge might drop in and tell us the latest dehydrator adventure!

Everyone welcome of course. I just feel like I would love to have a bit more general prep chat to calm my nerves.

Some general prep/housekeeping I'm doing today is going through my fresh stores and cooking up anything to freeze that's on its last legs so just about to cook up a big batch of roast potatoes for the freezer and try not to eat too many

[bilboraggins]

My title doesn't sound too friendly but I hope you get the intention otherwise it will just be me sitting here alone eating roast potatoes!!!

[BlackeyedSusan]

Well you only had to do two posts alone. I sat and talked to myself for several days one one thread.

Ah for the days of photos of dried fruit and veg.

It would make a nice change to think of general preps. There is the danger of thinking about that which shall not be named on this thread exclusively and getting hit from behind by another emergency.

Ps I will be fucking pissed off if I don't get to play with my Kelly kettle later this year.

[bilboraggins]

@BlackeyedSusan yes exactly! I feel like my other preps are being severely overlooked!

Thank you for keeping me company and sorry you had to go it alone on your other thread.

I only ate three roast potatoes in the end and the rest were put in the freezer... small victories!

Can I ask which Kelly kettle you went with? I had a look a few months ago and never settled on one as they are quite pricey but well worth having!

[FreezerBird]

Freezing roast potatoes? Please tell me about this magic!

(Logically I suppose aunt Bessie does it all the time but it's never occurred to me. Sad potatoes here tend to get made into mash for freezing.)

[bilboraggins]

@FreezerBird love your name by the way! Yes I need to intentionally make a batch to freeze as we never have leftover roast potatoes! Defrost and crisp them back up in the oven, you really can't tell and your own will win over aunt Bessie any day! Same principle for Yorkshire puddings. I like knowing there is the makings of a good roast always tucked up in the freezer

[nellodee]

I had a dream last night about finding an almost empty chest freezer at the back of my kitchen... good times, good times. Shame I woke up to my teeny tiny little kitchen, no garage, and no room for so much as half a bag of peas more in my fridge freezer.

I am quite a disorganised person on a lot of fronts, but I realise that I did a mini prep for Ebola, then let it slide... then I did a little bit for Brexit, then let it slide... now this...

I also have to admit to having had urges to set up an off grid retreat of tiny houses in Northern Ontario. I am so not a tiny house person. I could probably fill a tiny house just with little playmobil figures.

You buggers have infected me. I'm going to be laying down bear traps any day now.

[BlackeyedSusan]

We live in a 2 bed duplex flat. (650 square feet) so preps have to be small.

Kelly kettle is new unused...was going to take it on holiday or to mum's. It has been too cold as yet. I went for a middle sized one with cook set but not cups and plates. Actually come to think of it, it has rained almost continually since.

[nellodee]

What's a Kelly Kettle? I need pictures and reviews.

[BlackeyedSusan]

I really ought to get a fire door put on the kitchen, fire blanket and extinguisher as soon as possible.

[bilboraggins]

Never mind @nellodee it's all about the tins anyway

What a dream though!

[bilboraggins]

Having an up to date fire plan is something I need to do especially since my dc are getting a bit older. Thanks for the reminder

[BlackeyedSusan]

It is a brand of storm kettle. Cylindrical shallow base for fire. A kettle goes on top. This is tall cylinderish, with
chimney hole up the middle. Water goes in the space round the outside, heat, smoke from the fire goes up the chimney. You can drop fuel down the hole. There is a stand to put on top of the chimney to cook on.

[nellodee]

That looks like fun! Me and my youngest daughter love camping. Dad and my oldest daughter have refused to travel to any location without air conditioning ever again. Last time we went camping, my oldest stuffed all her travel teds to the bottom of her sleeping bag to protect them from the insects in the tent.

I really do not think she would fare well in a zombie apocalypse :)

[WorriedMam2020]

I would love some tip son freezing things like spuds? And other things you might not think to freeze

[bellinisurge]

Howdy everyone. My big project this year is to get my veg garden going. Year before last was a big success. So many things to dehydrate, so little time 😂. But last year was a disaster. Too late starting and then logistical problems.
The ever fabulous Liz Zorab and that nice young man Huw Richards have just added a YouTube podcast type channel called Garden Demystified . Huw Richards has a new book out - Grow food for free which is really good.
And my other prepping projects are to practice my fire starting skills in tbe garden with my ferroserium rod.
And to see if I can cook in the Dutch oven outside. I know how thrilling you have all found my solar oven adventures of last year.

[bilboraggins]

@WorriedMam2020 this is quite a good article on freezing food

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/freezing-food-freezer-defrosting-how-long-which-foods-cooking-a8530971.html

Sorry not sure how to make it a clicky link but hopefully you can copy and paste if interested. I freeze so many things. Just grated a big block of cheese to decant into freezer bags 

Thanks @bellinisurge that's exactly they type of tales that really calm my nerves for some reason. You will need to think of yourself as a public service for preppers I remember fondly when you talked about the pasta sauce you made with heat from the sun?! Very impressive. If only that was an option right now, can't wait for a bit of sunshine

[HighlandYak]

And other things you might not think to freeze
I live a fair bit from the supermarket so only tend to do once a month and freeze a lot!
I freeze spring onions, wash and chop and freeze them into bags then just throw them into stirfrys etc. Freeze whole chilli's, frozen grapes and watermelon are both delicious. Cheese grated up is a good one. I like to make huge batches of pasta sauce then freeze them into giant ice cubes and bag them. Also pots of hummus from supermarket freeze well! Basically I lob everything in the freezers

[bellinisurge]

Op, don't get me started on all my pressure canning plans.
It's nearly dandelion season and my little garden can usually guarantee a load of them. And my little driveway.
Look up making dandelion jam everyone (jelly because the recipes are usually American). The theory is that the jam/jelly is kind of a substitute for local honey because it's made from flowers pollinated by local bees etc.
Poor dh has to suffer a bunch I put in the freezer last year which are still there waiting for me to get my shit together to make jelly. I'll sling those in the local compost bin collection- not my compost bin because I'm nervous of seeds.
Obviously let the buggers flower a bit so that your local bees and pollinators get a shot at them for their benefit.
But, like me, you might find the sight of yellow dandelion heads on a non-weed killer laden site, a positive thing. Not an "oh fuck" thing.

[bellinisurge]

Just to be clear, I made said Jam/jelly tbe year before. But syrupy and sugary but a big success. Labour intensive make but there is something strangely satisfying about pulling off yellow dandelion heads. Dd loved doing it.
Leaves are good for a mulch on the garden. I haven't tried making dandelion root coffee because dh can only take so much and I can only be arsed so much but ....[plots]

[bellinisurge]

Oops, forgot to say you don't need a pressure canner to make dandelion jam/jelly. What the US call open kettle canning, which is how we make jam in the UK, is fine. As are jars reused from your normal shop rather than special jars. Usual rigorous sterilising rules apply.
I'll shut up know.

[bilboraggins]

Please don't ever shut up @bellinisurge I for one am off to google dandelion jelly but more out of admiration/fascination as I think I would get a similar reaction from my dh

[SistemaAddict]

I have a friend who makes the most amazing marmalade. It's inspired me to make my own. I made blackberry jam once and raspberry as a child that went mouldy in the cupboard Is sterilising jars a pain?
We are out of spare shampoo. I feel I have failed as a prepper 😩

[bellinisurge]

Sterilising isn't a pain. Hard rolling boil for 10 mins. Don't touch insides once done. Keep warm.
Or top tray of dishwasher

[bellinisurge]

Bilbo

[bellinisurge]

I have a mental block about having enough toothpaste @Bercows