Participants were busy this week, each having increased in points earned from their previous week and going up against new participants who’ve joined in!

Our top finisher set an impressive first week’s earnings making breakfasts, dinners, bread and desserts!  Besides the number of recipes she made — eight in all — in nearly everyone she utilized non-electric options, boosting her recipes with additional bonus points and ending with a total of 47 points this week!

Congratulations, Paula!  Compliments of Grandma’s Country Foods you’ve won a $94.00 package of outstanding products including:

1 #10 can Country Cream Milk

1 #10 can Dutch Milk Chocolate Drink

1 #10 can Everest Mountain Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup and

1 #10 can of Orange Gelatin

Here’s a look at just a few of the things she did this week…

Wonder Oven Bread(method here)

Granny’s Fried Apple Pies

Easy Hamburger Soup (recipe here)

Cooking with charcoal on the grill and later on her propane camping stove…

And the winner of the random drawing…

In learning more about this water treatment kit this week, it’s helpful to understand how this particular product works as opposed to other products on the market.  The key is a substance called “bio-film”.

Researchers have estimated that 60-80% of microbial infections in the body are caused by bacteria growing as a bio-film—as opposed to planktonic (free floating) bacteria.  In identifying it as a substance, you’d recognize it as the slimy deposit seen within the interior of most any water storage container as well as faucets and pipes.  H2O ResQ’s Copper-Silver ion solution works to prevent and prevent reoccurring growth of bio-film in water storage tanks, jugs, quarts, gallons, drums, super tanks, hydration bladders and packs, and rain harvesting tanks.  And it’s just that simple, by eliminating “bio-film” and preventing it from growing, water is very simply (and cost effectively) treated.

Thanks again, Water Pure Technologies, for our weekly random prize!

Week #2 ~Special Mention

Amanda did something completely awesome this week that I just have to mention.  In one of her recipes she made homemade mozzarella cheese using powdered Nido milk.  As you can see in the picture below it even grated!

{Update:  She’s since blogged about making it.  You can check out the post HERE}

Looking forward to week #3…

In addition to cooking, I thought you’d all be interested in learning some other uses for these oils (found here along with helpful directions for use).

Lime: can be used as an alternative to Lemon for its cleansing properties as well as help with colds and flu. Some people prefer the odor of Lime for diffusing both as a disinfectant and as a mood enhancer. Alternating with other oils periodically can add needed variety. Another use of Lime essential oil can be the cleansing of skin where it is reported to improve the complexion and tighten the skin.

Ginger:  used for nausea due to morning sickness, motion sickness, chemotherapy, and general anesthesia. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties help some varieties of migraine headaches and arthritis. Some use to help with high cholesterol. Also used as an expectorant, stomach ache, chest pain, and back pain. And for the common cold and to lessen the effects of viral flu on onset. Apply to help rheumatism. Some find relief of sore throats and coughs.

Lemon: Traditionally, Lemon oil has many uses. It is a powerful antiseptic and can be an effective means to improve circulation. It is a considered to be an excellent antibacterial agent. This makes it well suited for respiratory infections or inflammation. Historically, adding a few drops of Lemon oil to warm water with a sweetener has provided relief for many suffering from coughs or sore throats.  Additionally, its pleasant sweet aroma can be uplifting to lighten any mood as well as cleansing to the environment. One of the easiest ways to receive the remarkable qualities associated with Lemon oil is to diffuse it into the air or utilize direct inhalation from the palms of the hands. Lemon oil can effortlessly be applied to the bottom of the feet or added to a glass of water as a purifier and for a quick energizing boost. Interestingly, Lemon oil has also been known to be strengthening to the fingernails. Simply apply the oil directly onto the nails.

Thanks to The Prepared Hour for next week’s $69.00 prize!!

Housekeeping…

I do have to mention in getting social bonus points, you should all be using the hashtags {#preparedness, #foodstorage, #myfoodstoragecookbook} with your sharing.  Hashtags categorize your post so that anyone on a social media channel can see it.  On facebook you’ll see it works because it highlights in blue after you type it.  Some people have been sharing on their personal pages without using the hashtags but the reason they’re important is because we want the whole preparedness world to SEE the awesome work you’re doing (not just your friends and family)!  FYI, the way I’m monitoring these is by going to the site itself and plugging in these hashtags in the search box itself, so if I don’t see yours there you’ll miss out on the points from now on.

Keep cooking!  You’re all doing great!!  

For anyone still wanting to join in, our winner this week showed that if you put your mind to it you can earn a whole lot of points in just a single week.  It’s all about planning it out and getting it done!  Multiple recipes from a single day are just fine, it’s all up to you!