Merry Christmas 2010

Holiday Safety

Some good ideas from the SLCPD for cutting down on holiday crime can be found at:

http://www.slcpd.com/assetts/images/getinformed/brochures/holiday-safety.pdf

Their ideas include tips for safety At Home, Traveling, Out and About, Decorating, and Donating.

Caramel Corn

This is my favorite recipe for crunchy caramel corn. It's easy to make and it's a delicious way to use popcorn from your food storage.

CARAMEL CORN

Combine in pan:

1 stick butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

Bring to boil; boil 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pour over 12 cups popped corn.

Spread on cookie sheet. Put in 250 degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Disaster-Proof Your Important Papers

In case you have to evacuate your home in an emergency, keep copies of your most vital papers in a portable container you can easily take with you.
There would include:

• Birth certificates and adoption records
• Marriage certificates and divorce decrees
• Drivers' licenses
• Passports/Visas/Green cards
• Social Security cards
• Titles, deeds and registrations for property owned
• Wills and trust documents
• Mortgage and loan information
• Insurance policies
• Bank account records
• Investment account records
• Credit card numbers

Keep original copies of difficult-to-replace documents, such as birth certificates and titles, in a safe deposit box. Make sure the box is held in more than one person's name. While information regarding bank accounts, insurance policies, and investments can be reproduced from account numbers, having immediate access to hard copy may be helpful.

Keep a list of all the documents you have and where they are located.
Make sure that those who need access to them know where to find this master list. Kiplinger's Your Family Records Organizer (www.kiplinger.com/organizer; 800-280-7165, Operator 89) is a CD-ROM product created to help you keep track of all these documents.

Key contact numbers to carry in your wallet: Doctor...employer/spouse's employer...children's schools...banks...insurance agents...minister, rabbi or priest...close relatives, friends and neighbors...utility companies...alarm-system company.

(Source: Barbara Hemphill, "Kiplinger's Personal Finance -Taming the Paper Tiger at Home," pg. 90)

How Would One Prepare Financially for Hard Times?

Let's face it -- times are tough -- and they will most likely get tougher before they get better. (Not what you wanted to hear, but something you probably knew already.)

We can feel peace even when there is trouble around us. There are things we can do to help us make it through these turbulent times. The following is a re-post from an article printed in the June 1980 Ensign and suggests some timeless ideas on how to prepare financially:

1. The breadwinner in the family should make every effort to stay employed and keep earning wages or salaries, profits, and benefits.

2. Try to build tenure or seniority with your employer, and demonstrate both creative and productive skills.

3. Keep knowledge and skills current through continuous upgrading; thus, you can compete with the best and offer the best service or product available in your field. Even family members not employed should do the same. Where possible, everyone should have or work toward a potentially marketable skill or product.

4. Protect yourself during a recession—or times of inflation—by keeping monthly expenditures well under control. It is no time to have any excessive debt or large installment payments. Also, you may not be able to borrow money for major things like houses, farms, or businesses. Wait until money is more available and the interest levels are moderate.

5. Have an emergency cash reserve. The longer or deeper the economic downturn, the greater the need for ready money in such cases as unemployment, reduced income, illness, or injury.

6. As much as possible, get ownership and clear title (or deed) to cars, major appliances, homes, farms, businesses, etc. During a recession or depression, repossession, foreclosure, and garnishment—and the resulting risk of bankruptcy—are more likely since cash demands continue and income may stop. Ownership of your major possessions would provide you with great security.

7. Have an adequate one year’s supply of food and clothing. It takes most families months and even years to build a good supply and learn how to store and rotate it properly. Get started now.

8. Be willing to make significant life-style changes. Economic hardship could force you to sacrifice many comforts and luxuries such as recreation, travel, nonessential clothing, eating out, entertainment, and gifts; can you make some of these changes voluntarily now? Expenditures might have to focus on essentials such as food, housing, utilities, health care, and transportation.

9. Organize your extended families to give help to each generation as needed.

10. Self-reliance is important. Knowing how to make bread, sew clothes, make gifts, toys, and home decorations, paint the house, fix the plumbing, etc., will become increasingly valuable. As much as possible, be able to sustain life. Grow a garden, cultivate fruit trees, keep animals, etc., wherever practical, or have access to these resources.

One of the best defenses against a recession or a depression is owning things like food surpluses (such as grain, sugar, corn, rice, beans, and dried fruits), precious metals and gems, coal and wood, land, etc. They have intrinsic value, demand for them stays high, and they can be used in many ways.

11. Be good friends and neighbors. During hard times, you’ll be exchanging products and services much more.

(Source: “Questions about Coping Financially: Welfare Services Suggests Some Answers,” Ensign, Jun 1980, 12)

*Previous posts on FINANCES

Preparing Your Family for an Earthquake

When preparing for an earthquake, plan on having enough supplies to get you and your family through at least the first 72 hours. After a major earthquake, there's a good chance that traditional emergency response teams will be too busy to take care of you and your family. You need to prepare your home and neighborhood.

The Plan
*Stock up on at least a three-day supply of food, water, clothes, medical supplies and other necessary equipment for everyone in your family. Make sure everyone knows where to find them.

*Decide where and when to reunite your family should you be apart when an earthquake happens.

*Choose a person outside the immediate area to contact if family members are separated. Long distance phone service will probably be restored sooner than local service. Do not use the phone immediately after the earthquake.

*Know the policies of the school or daycare center your children attend. Make plans to have someone pick them up if you are unable to get them.

*If you have a family member that does not speak English, prepare an emergency card written in English indicating that persons identification, address and any special needs such as medication or allergies. Tell that person to keep the card with him/her at all times.

*Conduct Earthquake: Duck, Cover & Hold drills every six months with your family.

*Know the safest place in each room because it will be difficult to move from one room to another during an earthquake.

*Locate the shutoff valves for water, gas and electricity. Learn how to shut off the valves before a quake. If you have any questions, call your utility company.

*Make copies of vital records and keep them in a safe deposit box in another city or state. Make sure originals are stored safely.

*Before a quake occurs, call your local Red Cross chapter and Office of Emergency Services to find out about their plans for emergency shelters and temporary medical centers in case of such a disaster.

*Establish all the possible ways to exit your house. Keep those areas clear.

*Know the locations of the nearest fire and police stations.

*Take photos and/or videos of your valuables. Make copies and keep them in another city or state.

*Include your babysitter and other household help in your plans.

*Keep an extra pair of eyeglasses and house and car keys on hand.

*Keep extra cash and change. If electricity is out, you will not be able to use an ATM.

General Tips
*Stay away from heavy furniture, appliances, large glass panes, shelves holding objects, and other large decorative masonry, brick or plaster such as fireplaces.

*Keep your hallway clear. It is usually one of the safest places to be during an earthquake.

*Stay away from kitchens and garages, which tend to be the most dangerous places because of the many items kept there.

(Source: http://ussc.utah.gov/pdf/prepare/eq_family.pdf)

Breakfast Recipes

I love breakfast! It's one of my favorite things about getting up in the morning.

Breakfast foods are usually simple to prepare and can be inexpensive. We sometimes have "breakfast" for dinner. Here are three of my family's favorite breakfast recipes:

EVERYDAY PANCAKES
I use 1/3 cup non-instant powdered milk and 1 cup water in place of milk. Mix non-instant powdered milk with dry ingredients, mix water with liquid ingredients.

3 eggs
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Beat eggs thoroughly; stir in milk, shortening, and sifted dry ingredients just until blended. Bake on lightly greased griddle. Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.

Variation:
Apple Pancakes: Stir in 1 cup finely chopped apple.

Blueberry Pancakes: Stir in 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned and drained blueberries.





FAVORITE WAFFLES
I use 2/3 cup non-instant powdered milk and 2 1/4 cups water in place of milk. Mix non-instant powdered milk with the dry ingredients, mix water with the liquid ingredients.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup melted shortening or vegetable oil

Stir together dry ingredients. Combine eggs, milk, and shortening. Combine liquid and dry ingredients just before baking; beat until smooth. Bake in hot waffle iron. Makes 12 waffles.






GRANOLA
8 1/2 cups 6 Grain Mix (Rolled - Red Wheat, White Wheat, Rye, Oats, Barley and Sunflower Seeds)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped mixed nuts
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups raisins, chopped dates or other dried fruit, if desired

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 6 Grain Mix, coconut, and nuts, if desired. Stir until evenly distributed. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, water, oil, honey, molasses, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Pour syrup over grain mixture. Stir with a large wooden spoon until syrup coats other ingredients. Spread mixture in two 13" x 9" baking pans or on 2 large baking sheets with raised sides. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in preheated oven, stirring occasionally. Bake 10 minutes longer for a crunchier texture. Cool on racks. Stir in raisins, chopped dates or other dried fruit, if desired. Spoon into a 10-cup container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal container. Label with date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 10 cups.


MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES

Help People in Haiti

22 January 2010 The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement today:

Our hearts are filled with sadness as we have watched the suffering in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. We turn to the example of Jesus Christ who reached out to “lift up the hands which hang down” and “strengthen the feeble knees.” We are keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges caused by the recession. However, we are appealing to members to donate to Church Humanitarian Services as their means allow in order to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. Many have already contributed and others are anxious to do so.

Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue.

(Source: www.newsroom.lds.org)

Self-Reliance Link

"Self-reliance is a simple concept that encourages each of us to take responsibility for our own needs—physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economic." Check out a new link with excellent information on Self-Reliance here.