General, Homemade, Podcast, Recipe, Uncategorized 1 comment

Episode 12 – Easy No Knead Bread

By on October 20th, 2010

So awhile back I found a recipe for no-knead bread.  It didn’t work for me so after a bit of experimenting I came up with this, and the angels sang.  This stuff is smack your mother good, oh and freakin easy.   Not only does it make a sweet boule but it is versatile, I use it for pizza dough.  You have to beat the neighbors off with a stick when you toss one of these in your oven.

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So here is the recipe for quick reference, for all the nuances listen to the podcast, that is why I record it after all.

Recipe

  • 6 cups Flour (all purpose, bread, wheat, whatever)
  • 3 cups Warm Water
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Yeast
  • .75 Tablespoons Sea Salt
  • Cornmeal (for lubrication, sorta)

Here’s a couple of product links for the Pizza Sauce I use, Pizza Peels and Baking Stones.  Yes I’ll get a cut if you buy through these links, but you love me right?

And the videos mentioned earlier…

Part 1, The Dough

Part 2, Baking (The Boule)

Part 3, The Za

Enjoy!

Automobile, First Aid, General, Podcast, Preparedness 3 comments

Episode 11 – Auto First Aid Kit

By on October 16th, 2010

Face it almost all pre-made first aid kits suck big time.  Seriously 1 gauze pad and 5 band aids won’t do squat if there is a real need for emergency care.  The need for a serious first aid kit is particularly greater in an auto compared to the house.  Emergency response times will be higher and there will be less expedient resources available.  After witnessing and helping at a serious accident I truly realized that a “auto first aid” kit purchased at a chain store is pitiful.  My quest led me to the following…

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The first and most important part of your first aid kit is training, (First Aid, CPR, AED) GET SOME.   The Red Cross and American Heart Association offer classes as well as many local organizations, employers, and fire departments.  My local Red Cross offers classes starting from $45-$100 depending on the class.  PLEASE GET TRAINED!

The kit I describe in this episode is the First Responder kit by Practical Trauma (NOTE I have no affiliation with this company other than as a satisfied customer).  This kit ain’t cheap and is designed for “First Responders / EMTs”.  It is the only worthwhile kit I have found yet, and if you want it a bit cheaper you could get the parts list and build it yourself for cheaper (1/2 the price is the bag, but I love the bag so I was willing to pay the extra).  Note this bag also contains stuff you may not know how to use, but that is no reason not to have these things, someone who is trained and knowledgeable in their use may be the next guy to pull up and help. OH LOOK!!! Just added a video to YouTube showing this exact kit. VIDEO HERE

I think it is our responsibility as good / moral humans to be prepared to help others when we can, that requires training and equipment.

Automobile, Podcast, Preparedness, Travel 6 comments

Episode 10 – Winter Auto Survival Kit

By on October 13th, 2010

With the winter months coming soon those of us in the parts of the US with actual seasons should prepare our autos for winter, one of those preparations should be a good Winter Auto Survival Kit.  I have a comprehensive outline below in the post with a LOAD of links… I spent all night pulling links for this bad boy!

After the fold you will see the podcast and probably the longest blogpost ever…

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I have broken the following suggestions down into 6 categories (Prevention, Water, Food, Communication, and Tools)
NOTE Any Amazon links that you buy from will give me a tiny bit of advertising revenue, if you don’t like that feel free to purchase on your own.  Also, I have not researched all these products individually, I just selected them as examples, so feel free to do your own research and local pricing.

Prevention

Shelter / Heat

Water

Food

Communications

Tools and Equipment

Further Hints

  • If you are stuck in the snow and need to run your car for warmth CLEAR THE SNOW FROM AROUND YOUR TAILPIPE!  You need to get those fumes away from the car.
  • Use floor mats to help with traction.
  • Only run car for a few minutes to warm car.
  • Use Emergency Candle for heat.
Debt, General, Homemade, Podcast, Recipe, Uncategorized 8 comments

Episode 9 – Homemade Cleaners

By on October 9th, 2010

Wow!  Sorry I sound so bad in this one, I had a cold earlier in the week and it’s still in my throat.  I had to edit out several minutes of  coughing and clearing my throat.  But hey stick in there this is a pretty good show and I kinda go off on a rant near the end.

Anywhoo, today we go through the recipes and procedures to make Laundry Detergent/Soap, Dishwasher Detergent, and Window Washing Fluid.

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Before we get started this is just a couple of recipes, feel free to google your heart out, there is a million out there, so if these don’t work go figure it out for yourself 😉  I HEREBY EMPOWER YOU TO LEARN!
Laundry Soap
Equipment
  • Box Grater/Food Processor/Cheese Grater
  • Pot (big ~1gal is best)
  • Whisk or Long Spoon
  • 5 gal Bucket
  • Measuring Cup
  • Dispensing Container
Ingredients
  • 1 Bar Soap
  • Fels Naptha (5.5oz) ~$3 or ½ – 1/3 bar ZOTE (14 oz)~$1.50 or Ivory (4.5oz) ~$1
  • 1-1.5 c WASHING SODA (Sodium Carbonate) – Arm & Hammer 55oz box ~$10 (4 batches?)
  • 1 – 1.5c BORAX – 20 mule team 76oz ~$7 (5-6 batches)

OOOOOHhhh A picture, I’m Big Time Now BABY!
Directions
  • If you are making the powder just mix the ingredients (powder the soap first) (use 1-2 Teaspoons per load)
  • For liquid soap – Start ~ ¾ gal water boiling
  • While waiting for water grate your soap
  • When water and soap are ready, add the Soap to the water, stir / whisk till dissolved. (turn down heat)
  • Add Washing Soda and Borax to pot while stirring, turn off heat.  Will start to get thick
  • Add 1-2 Gal Warm/Hot water to bucket, pour pot into bucket, mix well
  • If you really want add a bit of essential oils at this point
  • Fill bucket rest of the way and mix well.  Let sit overnight.
  • After several hours / overnight it should look like egg drop soup, give it a good stir and fill your dispensing container
  • Shake before each use, 1/2 – 3/4 cup per load (top load machine) – 1/4 – 1-2 cup per load (front load machine)

Fabric Softener / Laundry Rinse

  • In Laundry use 1/2 – 1 cup vinegar in the softener dispenser (this will also help clean out your washer.)

“Dryer Sheets”

  • Take 1 part fabric softener and 2 parts water, keep in a bucket.
  • Take common kitchen sponge and cut into halves or thirds, add these pieces to the mix
  • Use 1 sponge piece (well wrung out) per dryer load.

Dishwasher Detergent

 

Ingredients

  • ½ c Borax
  • ½ c Washing Soda
  • ¼ c Kosher Salt
  • ¼ c Citric Acid (or ~10pkg lemonade unsweetened koolaid)

Directions

  • Mix all ingredients together in a container
  • Close Container
  • Shake the hell out of said container to mix
  • Use 1-1 ½ Tablespoon per load
  • Use Vinegar in Rinse Agent contraption

List of product links, you will most likely find these products much cheaper locally, so get out of the house and spend a few minutes at the local grocery.  You need the fresh air anyway.

Communication, General, Podcast, Power, Preparedness 2 comments

Episode 8 – Blackout Kits and Preparedness

By on October 6th, 2010

Wow, I went long on this one and still missed a few good points.

In this episode we discuss more in depth preparedness for power outages and preparedness including making a power outage “grab bag”.  You will see after the flip I have about 6 million links to lots more information.  But first a few points I either forgot or didn’t highlight well enough.

  • Have something to keep you occupied that doesn’t require power, board games, cards, roulette wheel, etc.
  • If you buy a generator try to run it at 50% “normal” load or less, this is the best for it’s efficiency.
  • Cellular internet cards or Cell Phone tethering may be useful in longer term emergencies.
  • And as usual I didn’t give you a recipe for your kit, this is for you to decide on your own.

I want your comments and whatnot so After the flippy-ma-do listen to the show, look at some links, and comment away!

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Links and Whatnot.

  • A great series on tiny generators and powering your furnace from Mixitman. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Ok now product links, yes I make a tiny commission if you buy from these but that’s the way the world works.  You may find better deals elsewhere and that is fine, I will feed my children porridge.  Just kidding, don’t feel too obligated to buy this stuff.


Nitro-Pak Preparedness Center, Inc.

General, Podcast, Preparedness 5 comments

Episode 7 – Part 3 Of Our Preparedness Series – October – Emergency Power

By on October 1st, 2010

Well, Welcome to part 3 of our preparedness series where we follow the Do1Thing.us  monthly preparedness list.

NOTE DO1THING.US is now at www.do1thing.com

At the following link is the form that I followed for this episode.
http://www.do1thing.com/files/calendar/Power.pdf

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Ok time for linkeys!

*Note if you buy something from one of the above amazon links I will get a small “advertising fee” from Amazon, this will not increase your price but if you don’t like the idea of me selling stuff, buy it elsewhere or not through my link, I won’t be disappointed.

Communication, General, Podcast, Preparedness Comments turned off

Episode 6 – Part 2 Of Our Preparedness Series – September – Receiving Emergency Communications

By on September 27th, 2010

Wow that’s a long title!
So Episode 6 is Part 2 of our preparedness series where we follow the Do1Thing.us  monthly preparedness list.

NOTE DO1THING.US is now at www.do1thing.com

At the following link is the form that I followed for this episode.  http://www.do1thing.com/files/calendar/GettingEmergencyInformation.pdf

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Ok some product links.

*Note if you buy something from one of the above amazon links I will get a small “advertising fee” from Amazon, this will not increase your price but if you don’t like the idea of me selling stuff, buy it elsewhere or not through my link, I won’t be disappointed.

General, Podcast, Preparedness 5 comments

Episode 5 – Introduction to our Preparedness Series

By on September 27th, 2010

I am introducing a series of podcasts.  A new episode each month will address specific topics regarding personal and family preparedness.  This episode is the introduction and very basic information.

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For more information try these links.

Computers, Free, General, Podcast, Security Comments turned off

Episode 4 – New (and older) Computer Optimization

By on September 26th, 2010

Ok so I promised this as episode #3, I lied… deal with it.

In this episode we ponder how to get that new computer set up and optimized.  Some of these tips and tricks will be applicable to the older computers as well.

  1. Use Free Antivirus
  2. Delete Crapware
  3. Other Stuff… aka I don’t remember the rest, so listen.

I started dozing during the editing of this episode so if there are rough spots blame my children for not ever letting me have a full nights worth of sleep.

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Todays links were gratuitously copied from Episode #3, they pretty much all apply to this episode as well.

Feel free to comment and or E-mail me.

General, Help A Brother Out 4 comments

Help a Brother Out!

By on September 26th, 2010

Hey all thanks for the listening and whatnot, I need help.

  1. I really need intro music if you know of anything that fits and is podcast safe I would appreciate suggestions.
  2. Send me ideas for future shows, I have a notepad page full but the more the merrier.
  3. Send me ideas and criticisms of current shows including how bad my voice sucks, or it sounds bad for whatever reason.  It would be great if you had solutions for me.
  4. Spread the word.