Category Archives: Survival Cookery

Review of Chicken Fajita MRE from Meal Kit Supply

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I’ve been having a back log of product and book reviews, both on items I purchased on my own, and review samples sent by the company or publisher.  It takes me a while to get the reviews done, as I like to read/test each one individually before I post anything about it.  I usually post on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, so on Saturdays I will do product and books reviews.

Meal Kit Supply sent me their newest MRE, Chicken Fajita, for review.  I had tested their product in the past, and was curious how this one would turn out.  The MRE pack included the following:

  • chicken fajita entree
  • 2nd entree was fried rice
  • pack of tortillas
  • dessert consisted of a spice cake
  • 2 drink packets:  cocoa beverage powder and orange flavored electrolyte carbohydrate mix
  • salsa packet
  • eating utensils including salt and pepper
  • heater unit

20130318_110718I added water to the heating unit as directed and wrapped it around the two entrees.

20130318_120931The chicken fajita warmed up really well, but the rice was only slightly warm.  I decided to throw it in boiling water for a minute and it warmed up.  More on this later.

Here is the rice after it warmed up.

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The tortilla packet included 2 flour tortillas-they were ready to eat and did not need warming.  I made 2 tacos by filling the tortillas with chicken, rice and salsa Now for the taste test.

  • I was not expecting a lot from the tortillas but they turned out great- the texture and taste were on par with a brand name such as Mission.
  • The chicken had a stew type consistency, and was a bit more saucy to my taste, but added as a taco filling with the rice, it tasted good.
  • The rice also had a nice texture and flavor.
  • The spice cake was very sweet – I prefer a less sweet taste, but that is my preference.

A few days later, I emailed my contact at Meal Kit Supply to find out why the 2nd entree did not warm up as well.  As I suspected, I positioned it the wrong way, since I wrapped it around the 2 entrees like a blanket, but the correct way is:

“The flameless ration heater should be wrapped around the rations in a ‘z’ fashion — the rations should not touch each other and instead should be inserted on the inner parts of the ‘z.’ Once you’ve done this, quickly shove it back in a ration box before it starts billowing up with steam and let it sit for a few minutes.”

She also mentioned that this was common:  “We’ve received a few emails with confusion over flameless ration heater use, so it is something we are addressing (i.e. clear explanation on the site as well as the bag itself).”

As an emergency food, the chicken fajita is a good choice and passed the taste test.  With so much food included, and with the ability to make two tacos, I felt that two people can split this entree in an emergency.

 

Mother Earth Food Storage

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What You Should Know about Pepper Spray

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81IK7TvNI0L._SL1500_I have a couple of pepper sprays in key chains that are getting old so I started looking into replacing them.   There are actually several types to choose from, and the more I read up on the topic, the more I learned.

Mace versus Pepper Spray

  •  Mace is a chemical irritant that is similar to tear gas.  Pepper spray’s main ingredient is the pepper derivative oleorsein capiscum (OC)  Pepper spray will cause inflammation and a severe burning sensation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin.
  • Pepper spray works quicker than Mace.
  • Mace does not work on persons who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but pepper spray works.
  • I also found out that “Mace” is now also a brand name that makes pepper spray products which confused me at first, but now I know.

Now that we have cleared that up, we can take a look at the various types of pepper sprays.

  1. Foam – a heavy, thick liquid, similar to a shaving cream consistency.   This is the type I am considering, as it is less likely to be affected by wind.  Also, if your attacker tries to wipe it off, he will end up rubbing it deeper into the skin causing even more irritation and pain.
  2. Stream or broken stream – Much like getting squirted by a water gun, the stream or broken stream will deliver a large amount of pepper spray with a longer range.  The downside is, the canister will get used up faster.
  3. Forced cone – This is the most common type that key chain type pepper sprays emit.  The range is about six to 12 feet, covering an area roughly the size of a human head.  The mist is finer than the stream type, but there is some risk of blowback if you are outside on a windy day.
  4. Fogger - this covers a larger area and delivers an even finer mist than forced cone.  It is good for crowd control and protection from bears.  Because it is like a mini fire extinguisher releasing a large amount of spray, there is some risk of blow-back but the attacker will go down even in windy conditions.

What if You Accidentally Spray Yourself?

In spite of careful precautions, sometimes accidents happen.  Here’s what you need to do:

  • Do not touch or rub the affected area as this will spread it and make it worse
  • Remove clothing that has come into contact with pepper spray, and bag it up to keep it separate from other clothes
  • Wash the area with lots of cool water
  • Do not use anything oily or greasy on the area.
  • If the discomfort persists, get checked out by a doctor.

 How Long Does Pepper Spray Last?

Pepper spray comes with an expiration date, usually a year from purchase.  The pepper spray itself does not become ineffective over time, but the spraying ability may be compromised.  The nozzle may be blocked, or the propellent may no longer work.  You don’t want to be carrying something to protect yourself and find out that it doesn’t work at the time you most need it.

Some manufacturers recommend testing the spray periodically.  To do this, you go outside and note which way the wind is blowing.  Spray away from yourself, making sure the wind is blowing AWAY from you.  However, testing it does cause the product to get used up.  To be on the safe side and avoid the risk of accidentally spraying yourself, use your best judgement and replace the sprays every 12-18 months.

 Legal Stuff

Pepper spray is legal in all 50 states, but some states have certain restrictions in size, strength, age of carrier (must be over 18 in some states).  Check on your own state’s regulations or the local police department for rules about carrying pepper spray.  It is illegal to carry it anywhere on a plane (whether on your person or luggage) and is prohibited in Federal and State buildings.

 The Proper Mindset

You need to have the right mindset to be able to use your pepper spray should the need arise.

  • It should be within easy reach.  If you are walking or jogging alone, you should have it either in your hand or front pocket.  There is no point having it in your purse or your car’s glove box if you are attacked.
  • Be aware of where the nozzle location and where you are about to spray.   If you are outside, be aware of where the wind is blowing.
  • Take a moment to envision various scenarios and plan ahead.
  • Aim for the eyes and face.
  • Always have an exit strategy.

Just having pepper spray does not mean you are assured of fending off an attacker.   As with many aspects of preparedness, having the right mindset will help push the outcome in your favor.

 

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Guest Post: Homemade MREs

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Editor’s note:  Today we are happy to feature a guest blog post from From Julie Languille,
Author of The Prepper’s Pantry and the soon to be released Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes

Thanks, Apartment Prepper, for inviting me to write a guest post about Homemade MREs. I am passionate about food storage and my first book, The Prepper’s Pantry  is all about setting up food storage with both a deep larder of long term storage foods, and also a rotation pantry filled with canned goods and home pressure-canned meats and chicken. I love the idea of having plenty of dehydrated and freeze dried foods on hand to cook from, but in times of emergency I think it will be really convenient to have ready-made meals, like homemade MREs on hand, and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

I sampled several different brands of commercially available entrees. Although some were somewhat palatable, I found most to be disappointing in terms of taste and texture.  When I think about all the extra work our families would need to be doing to keep us safe and warm in times of trouble, the commercial meals also fell short on calories needed to sustain us.

So I began developing scores of recipes for meals in a jar (or bag) which would be just-add-water complete meals. Some are dry ingredients such as soups or stews and others are home pressure-canned meals of classic braised dishes, such as pulled pork, or brisket. The meals are packaged either in jars or vacuum sealed bags and some come packaged with a “sidekit” a side dish of mashed potatoes, polenta, noodles, tortilla makings or the like.

My second book, Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes, which is due out in March of 2013, is a collection of homemade MRE meals. The entire book is filled with great recipes for dry soups and stews, perfect for lunches as well as big braises; savory meat and vegetable packed meals sure to satisfy the biggest man appetites. It also includes breakfast ideas for MREs, egg dishes, and cereals, as well as side dishes, beverages and desserts too. The book can be pre-ordered now.
I love the sight of a shelf in my pantry filled with homemade MREs, they taste better than anything I found commercially available, in fact we eat them every week and they are easy to grab and go in a bug-out hurry!  They are also fantastic at the end of a busy weekday.
Besides pressure canning in jars, Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes  , also covers pressure canning into retort pouches, which are specialized bags you can buy online. They are inexpensive, light-weight and unbreakable (although they can be punctured – ask me how I know). Retort pouches are a great (and portable) addition to your Prepper’s Pantry.

Below is a basic recipe for a chicken noodle soup. I invite you to make up a single batch, adjust it to your tastes and then bag or jar up a whole shelf full. Make a few variations and I guarantee you that you will rest peacefully knowing if hard times are ahead, you have a pantry full of good meals waiting for your family.

Chicken Soup MRE
Makes 1 quart jar or vacuum bag for storage and yields 8 cups of soup – about 6 servings

3 cups egg noodles (choose a variety with a 10 – 12 minute cook time, not the longer cooking “homestyle” noodles)
1 cup freeze-dried chicken (optional) (or you could package this meal in a bag and include 1 can of commercially canned chicken or a pint of home canned chicken)
3 Tb. powdered chicken soup base
¼ cup dried onion
¼ cup dried celery
½ cup dried carrots
½ cup dried mushrooms
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 Tb. dried parsley
1 slice dried lemon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. (This makes the ingredients take less room in the jar as smaller ingredient fill the spaces between noodles.) Add to a clean quart jar, top with an oxygen absorber and close tightly or vacuum seal in a bag.

To prepare your soup, in a large pot heat 8 cups of water to a simmer, and stir in meal contents. Return to a gently simmer and cook 12 to 15 minutes until noodles and vegetables are tender.

Variations: Add dried peppers or corn, or swap out mushrooms for peas or green beans, or substitute beef stock and freeze dried beef for chicken. If you add beans, be sure they are the quick-cooking variety (quick cooking beans have been almost fully cooked and then dehydrated.) Also, stirring in ¼ cup sour cream powder at the end would make a delicious cream-style soup. You can store the sour cream powder in a baggie and tuck it in with the rest of the ingredients to segregate it for adding at the end.

Julie Languille is passionate about both food and preparedness. She owns a dinner planning website with thousands of recipes compiled to make dinner planning, shopping and cooking easy for families. She teaches workshops on preparedness and long term food storage and regularly hosts food packaging parties where families gather to make pre-packaged meal kits to build their own food storage as well as bless families in need. Julie lives with her husband and family on lovely Whidbey Island, in the Puget Sound near Seattle, and when not cooking loves to read, sail and kayak in the waters near her home. Julie is the author of The Preppers Pantry and Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes.

Editors Note:  Julie’s book, The Preppers Pantry and Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes is available on Amazon for pre-order.  I have also added it to Apartment Prepper Amazon Store.  Thank you for making purchases through our store!

 

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An Ideal Stove for Outdoor Cooking

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Long time readers know I am always on the look-out for lightweight portable stoves to test out, having had less than stellar results in the past. Living in an apartment in the city, we cannot deny the possibility we may have to bug out if there were an extended emergency.  In addition, we enjoy camping and backpacking, and a lightweight stove is a must.

I was excited to try out the Solo Stove.  It is a small, portable stove that uses biomass (twigs, dried leaves, etc) for fuel.  Not needing to bring special fuel is a big advantage:  since you can easily find branches and twigs, you are not adding weight to your bug-out bag.

Assembly

The stove is very easy to assemble:  just set the cooking ring on top of the stove so that the prongs are on top.  That is what your pot will rest on.

Starting the Fire

1.   First, collect your fuel:  in our case, Mr. Apt Prepper gathered up twigs, dried leaves and a few acorns out in the back of our building.  Place the twigs in the stove chamber.  The twigs or wood pieces should be roughly two to three inches in length.

2.  Make sure the stove is on a level area, away from the wind.  We just set it on a  paving stone.  The Solo Stove’s instructions can be found here.

3.  Start the fire.   It would have been easier to use firestarter, but we wanted to see how it would perform by just lighting the fuel using matches.  The dried leaves caught fire instantly and in a couple of minutes, the rest of the twigs were burning nicely.

  4.  We set a pan containing two cups of water on the stove.  We continued to add twigs to the fire.  The water started to boil in about 10 minutes, which is a lot faster than I’ve experienced with a regular campfire.

Cleaning

Once the fire has died down and stove has cooled completely,  all you need to do is empty out the ash.  Since the fuel is all organic, you don’t need to worry about polluting the area.

A bit of soot may cling to the stove but it is easily wiped off.

Solo Stove recently became our sponsor, but regardless of that, we put the stove through the paces and it performed admirably.  Mr Apt Prepper kept an objective eye over the test.  If we had to come up with an area of improvement it would be to provide more detailed instructions for the inexperienced portable stove user.  One thing that is not obvious to a new user is gauging the amount of fuel that is needed.  Using dried twigs, the stove did not give off much smoke at all, which is great for a bug-out stove, when you don’t want to attract a lot of attention with your cooking fire.  At the sale price of $69.99, the stove is priced reasonably.

All in all the Solo Stove is a great portable backpacking and survival stove and I highly recommend it.

 

For beginning preppers

Please Welcome our New Sponsor: Solo Stove

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I’d like to welcome our newest sponsor, Solo Stove.  Solo Stove is a lightweight, compact backpacking stove that is also a great back-up survival stove especially for those of us who want to save space.

I plan on reviewing the stove soon but from the videos and users’ comments it looks to be a very promising survival backup stove.  It is currently on sale of $69.99 and shipping is free in the United States.  Please visit Solo Stove today and tell them Apartment Prepper sent you.

Make Cereal in your Apartment Kitchen

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Even though we can’t truly be self sufficient we can reduce our dependence on the system by making certain foods ourselves.  I always enjoyed granola cereal and always bought Quakers brand.  I found out it’s actually very easy to make it yourself.  Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries (raisins or other dried fruit would work too)

1 cup nuts ( I used macadamia.)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cube butter

1/4 c lightly packed brown sugar

1/4 c honey

1 tsp vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with foil.  Grease the surface with oil or cooking spray.

2.  Mix oats, cranberries, nuts, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.

3.  Combine butter, sugar and honey in a medium saucepan, over medium heat.  Stir until butter melts and begins to boil.  Add vanilla and stir.  Remove from heat and pour over oats.  Make sure oats get coated well.

4.  Transfer mixture to pan, spreading flat in an even layer.

5.  Place in preheated oven and check after 15 minutes.  Stir in any edges that are getting too brown.  Return to oven and bake another 10-15 until top is golden.

6.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Break into chunks.

The first time I tried this recipe the cereal came out a bit darker than I planned, as the oven tends to overheat.  It still tasted good.  I made a second batch and removed it from heat sooner and the color was just right.  You will have to check a couple of times to gauge how your oven heats up the oats.  Now I have lots of good granola cereal.   Buying the dry ingredients from the bulk bins at the grocery store is the most inexpensive way to go.  The best part is I know exactly what ingredients went into it.

 

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Taste Test: THRIVE Freeze Dried Ground Beef

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Today I am going to review a popular Thrive freeze dried item, the ground beef.   Misty Marsh over at Your Own Home Store kindly sent me a sample a while back, but I had not gotten around to posting the result due to work schedules getting in the way.

I use a lot of ground beef chuck in my everyday cooking, as it is less expensive than steak and can be used in a variety of menu items: tacos, burritos, spaghetti, lasagna, soups etc.   For this taste test, I originally planned to make spaghetti but Mr. Apt. Prepper suggested ground beef and potato hash, so we can really know the taste of the freeze dried ground beef.  The sauciness of spaghetti would have covered up the flavor.   This made sense to me so I went ahead and cooked Freeze Dried Ground Beef Hash.

Here is what I did for the taste test:

1.  Measure a cup of freeze dried ground beef.

2.  Add 1 1/2 cups of hot water.  I just warmed up the water for a minute and a half in the microwave, then added it to the ground beef.

3.  Leave the mixture alone for 20 minutes.  While the meat was rehydrating, I cut up one medium potato into cubes.

4.  After 20 minutes, the ground beef looked properly hydrated so I drained out the water.

5.  Heat the skillet and add a teaspoon of oil (I used olive but other oils should be fine).  Add the ground beef.  Season with garlic powder, onion salt and pepper.  Brown the ground beef.  I also added about a tablespoon of ketchup (a leftover ketchup packet would also work) for some flavor and moisture.

6.  Add the diced potatoes and mix well.  I added about 2 tbsp of water and covered it up.  Heat on low for 15 minutes.  Mix it around a bit so the potatoes don’t stick to the skillet.

7.  It is now ready to eat.

8.  Serve with white rice or tortillas.

Now for the result… This ground beef hash made from Thrive Freeze Dried Ground Beef was very tasty.  The beef had a good texture.  The kids said they look like baby meatballs.  If I were to make spaghetti or lasagna I would break up the ground beef even smaller so it will spread evenly in the sauce.  It has an excellent flavor and tasted just like freshly cooked ground beef.

I have reviewed other Thrive meats in previous posts:  Freeze Dried Chicken and Roast Beef .  The Ground Beef is now the family favorite, and I highly recommend it.

For drinking or cooking, you can never have enough clean water for survival: For your water purifier needs, please visit:

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No Need to Run to the Store: Make your Own Yogurt

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I made yogurt in the crockpot and I am here to tell you how easy it is to make your own yogurt.

You will need:

1/2 gallon of milk (I used Borden’s Whole Milk, but you can use any brand)

1/2 cup of plain yogurt, any brand (I used Oikos Greek style yogurt since I like Greek style yogurt and it was on sale for $1 at Walmart, but you don’t have to)

slow cooker, measuring cup

2 towels

1.  Pour the milk into the slow cooker and set on low for 2 1/2 hours.  I did this step around 4 in the afternoon.

2.  Unplug the crockpot and leave it alone for 3 hours.  Around 6:30 pm, it was time to unplug the crockpot.  Do not remove the lid, just leave it alone.

3.  After the 3 hours is up (around 9:30 p.m. when I did it), take 1 cup of milk out of the crockpot and mix in a bowl with half a cup of plain yogurt.  Mix well with a wire whisk.  My wire whisk was missing so I just mixed it well with a fork.  Pour the milk/yogurt mixture back into the crockpot and mix well with the rest of the milk.  Place the lid back on.  I set some aluminum foil on top before placing the cover (optional).

4.  Wrap the entire crockpot with 2 large towels.   As you can see in the photo,  I used a couple of bath towels.

5.  Leave it alone for 8-12 hours.  I checked mine at around 9 am the next morning.  All the mixture had turned into yogurt.

I mixed it around a bit and transferred the yogurt into smaller containers.

6.  Refrigerate for 24 hours and it is ready.  I actually cheated and tasted it after 8 hours and it tasted good, just a bit watery.  After 24 hours it was a great consistency and had a pleasant taste.  It was so good, I only added about a teaspoon of honey for flavor.  I let the family taste it and they liked it.

All in all, the yogurt in a crockpot was a success.  The flavor is great, I don’t think I will go back to store bought yogurt, except to resupply on the plain yogurt if I run out.  For about $3.50, you get about $10-$12 worth of good yogurt.  If you like yogurt, try this yourself; it is amazingly easy!

 

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Artisan Bread Update

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I posted about making homemade bread a few days ago.  The recipe indicated the dough can be kept in the refrigerator and used to make subsequent loaves.  I wasn’t so sure how it would turn out so I am writing an update.

I stored the dough in the same bowl I mixed it in, covered by a sheet of aluminum foil in the refrigerator.   The 2nd time I made it, I tore another grapefruit size piece of dough, mixed it with flour and baked it in the same matter.  The second batch was exactly the same as the first batch.  It had a nice crust, and soft in the middle.  There was no difference in taste or texture.

The third time I made it was about 3 days later.  The dough felt less moist than before, and therefore needed less flour to be added.  I wanted to use up the dough and made a larger sized loaf.  Because it was a larger piece of dough, it also took about 45 minutes to cook all the way through instead of the usual 30 minutes.  I could tell because the dough looked moist in the middle when I cut it in half, so I let it cook a few more minutes.   After the longer cooking time, I sliced the bread as usual, served it with spaghetti.   Everyone liked it.

Verdict:  The subsequent artisan bread loaves tasted as good as the first batch.

 

For your survival kits and supplies, please visit Safecastle Royal:

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Taste Test: THRIVE Freeze Dried Chicken

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This week I am reviewing Thrive Freeze Dried White Meat Chopped Chicken, courtesy of Misty Marsh over at Your Own Home Store.  I am very interested in freeze dried meats, as my current food storage is low on meat items. I made Chopped Chicken Salad using the following recipe: Ingredients: 3/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Chopped Chicken 1/4 cup Thrive celery 1/8  cup Thrive onion1 1/2 cups water 1/4 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste Bring water in a pot to boil.  Add the chicken, celery and onion. Let soak for10 minutes until reconstituted.   After 10 minutes is up, place the mixture in a colander and let the water drain for 10 minutes. Make sure all the excess water drains out.  Set aside in the refrigerator until cool.  Next, combine the cooled chicken mixture with mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon into bread or crackers. This mixture made enough filling for three sandwiches.  I had the family taste the chicken salad and guess what, everyone liked it!  The chicken looked nice and white, and the onion and celery smelled very fresh.   The family was saying it smelled good in the kitchen after I mixed them up with water. Just like fresh chicken by itself, the reconstituted freeze dried chicken taste bland so it does need seasonings.   The freeze dried onion and celery both added a nice flavor to the chicken salad.  I would eat this dish again.  Next time I will add the chicken to some pasta- I think it will taste just as good.  I liked the Thrive Freeze Dried Chopped Chicken, Celery and Onion and feel they would make a good addition to your food storage and pantry.  You can find them at Your Own Home Store under the Purchase Shelf Reliance tab.

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