The Square Foot Garden

How would you like a garden filled with fresh herbs and luscious vegetables, all with NO WEEDS and NO HARD WORK? No more heavy digging or all-at-once harvest. Less watering, weeding, and thinning. What's left is a picture perfect garden you will be so proud of. Put yourself in a rocking chair and start your own Square Foot Garden!

How To Square Foot Garden

It's easy to get started with your own square foot garden at home. As easy as 1, 2, 3 and you'll be harvesting in no time! Requiring no tools, less work and no weeding, square foot gardening has become one of the most efficient and popular ways to grow large crops of fresh produce without wasting valuable resources or space.

Introducing Square Foot Gardening Movie - Digital Download! Start Watching & Learning NOW! All proceeds go to our humanitarian efforts around the world.

1st: Pick The Location

• Pick an area that gets 6-8 hours of sunshine daily.
• Stay clear of trees and shrubs where roots and shade may interfere.
• Have it close to the house for convenience.
• Existing soil is not really important, since you won't be using it.
• Area should not puddle after a heavy rain.

Read the Location FAQ's

2nd: Follow The Ten Basics

1. LAYOUT - Arrange your garden in squares, not rows. Lay it out in 4'x4' planting areas.
2. BOXES - Build boxes to hold a new soil mix above ground.
3. AISLES - Space boxes 3' apart to form walking aisles.
4. SOIL - Fill boxes with Mel's special soil mix: 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite.
5. GRID - Make a permanent square foot grid for the top of each box. A MUST!
6. CARE - NEVER WALK ON YOUR GROWING SOIL. Tend your garden from the aisles.
7. SELECT - Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot, using 1, 4, 9, or 16 plants per square foot.
8. PLANT - Conserve seeds. Plant only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. Place transplants in a slight saucer-shaped depression.
9. WATER - Water by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water.
10. HARVEST - When you finish harvesting a square foot, add compost and replant it with a new and different crop.

3rd: Could it be easier than this?

Build A Box

Fill With Mel's  Mix

Add A Grid

And start planting!

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE 10 BASICS OF SFG:

• LAYOUT:

Always think in squares: lay out 4 foot by 4 foot planting areas with wide walkways between them.

• BOXES:

Build garden box frames no wider than 4 feet, and 6 to 8 inches deep. The length is not as important, but a recommended size for your first time is one frame 4 foot by 4 foot. You can, of course, go smaller. A 2 foot by 2 foot works great on patios and 3 foot by 3 foot box is ideal for kids. Frames can be made from almost any material except treated wood, which has toxic chemicals that might leach into the soil. 1 by 6 or 2 by 6 lumber is ideal, and comes in 8-foot lengths. Most lumber yards will cut it in half at little or no cost. Exact dimensions are not critical. Deck screws work best to fasten the boards together. Rotate or alternate corners to end up with a square inside.

• AISLES:

If you plan to have more than one garden box, separate them by 2 or 3 feet to form walkways.

• SOIL:

Fill frame with Mel's Mix, a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite (no dirt needed). A blended compost made from many ingredients provides all the nutrients the plants require (no chemical fertilizers needed). Peat moss and vermiculite help hold moisture and keep the soil loose. It's best to make your own compost from many ingredients but if you have to buy it, make sure it is truly compost. Some stores sell mulch or humus and other ground covers but call it compost. Most commercial compost is made from one or two ingredients so to be safe, don't buy all of one kind but one of each kind until you have enough for your garden. It's really best to make your own compost, then you know what goes in it. When buying vermiculite, be sure to get the coarse grade, and get the more economical 4 cubic foot size bags. If placing frames over grass you can dig out the grass or cover it with cardboard or landscape cloth to discourage grass and weeds from coming up through your new garden soil.

• GRID:

On top of each frame place a permanent grid that divides the box into one foot squares. The grid is the unique feature that makes the whole system work so well. To show you why the grid is so important, do this little demonstration: Look at your 4 foot by 4 foot box with the grid on and imagine up to 16 different crops. What you see before you is a neat and attractive, well organized garden, that will be easy to manage. Now remove the grid. Could you organize and manage this space without dividing it up into squares? Besides, without the grid you will be tempted to plant in rows, which is a poor use of space. Grids can be made from nearly any material; wood, plastic strips, old venetian blinds, etc. Use screws or rivets to attach them where they cross. On a 4 foot by 4 foot frame, the grid divides the frame into 16 easy-to-manage spaces, for up to 16 different crops. Leave the grid in place all season. The grid can be cut long enough to fit across the top of the box or cut shorter to lay on the soil inside the box.

• CARE:

Since you will NEVER walk on or depress the growing soil, don't make the frames any wider than 4 feet (2 feet, if only one side is accessible). Any wider makes it too difficult to reach in to tend the plants.

• SELECT:

Depending on the mature size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot. If the seed packet recommends plant spacing be 12 inches apart, plant one plant per square foot. If 6 inch spacing; 4 per square foot. If 4 inch spacing; 9 per square foot. If 3 inch spacing; 16 per square foot.

• PLANT:

Plant one or two seeds in each spot by making a shallow hole with your finger. Cover, but do not pack the soil. Thinning is all but eliminated. Seeds are not wasted. Extra seeds can be stored cool and dry in your refrigerator. Don't over-plant. Plant only as much of any one crop as you will use. This 4 foot by 4 foot box will grow more than a conventional garden that is 8 foot by 10 foot.

• WATER:

Water only as much as each plant needs. Water often, especially at first, and on very hot dry days, If possible, water by hand ( uses a lot less water )with a cup from a sun-warmed bucket of water. Warm water helps the soil warm up in early and late season.

• HARVEST:

Harvest continually and when a crop in one square is gone, add some new compost and plant a new different crop in that square.



Still have questions? Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

Nature's Awesome Glory

How to Make Bread without an Oven

Methods and recipes for making bread
without an oven in an emergency or while camping

Emergency Bread
A winter storm roared through the area. Winds reached nearly 70 miles per hour.
Roads were suddenly closed, including the interstate highways, and hundreds of
motorists were stranded. Icy snow pelted everything, clinging to power lines and poles.
Soon there was a 300 mile swath of power outages. As the storm blew past,
temperatures dropped toward zero.
At our home, we broke out lanterns and extra bedding. With the outside conditions, with
the road closures, and the wide swath of the storm, we knew we could be without power
for days. We began to think about how prepared we really were for an emergency. We
had lots of food in the pantry--including bread mixes and flour to make bread, the staple
of our lives--but no stove or oven.
What would you eat if you were stranded without power? It could happen; it does
happen. A natural disaster, a breakdown in the delivery system as the Northeast
experienced recently, or a terrorist strike against the infrastructure could leave you
without power. Don’t despair. You probably have a source of heat—a camp stove, a
barbeque grill, a fireplace, or a place to build a fire to cook with. (Never use a grill or
camp stove in an enclosed room.) In most cases, you can find a way to eat your daily
bread--even without an oven.

Fry it.
Those indulgent raised, glazed donuts are fried. You can do the same with any
dough. Serve them hot with a little butter and syrup or honey and you will have a treat
that the kids will clamor for—even without an emergency. Simply mix the bread as
instructed and let the dough rise. Instead of forming loaves, roll or pat the dough on a
counter until it is about ½-inch thick. Slice the dough into wedges, separate the pieces,
and let them rise again until twice as thick. Heat a pan of oil until hot and slip the dough
pieces two or three at a time into the hot oil. When one side is browned, turn the dough
over. If the oil is hot enough, the dough should absorb little oil. When done, drain the
fried bread on paper towels.

Boil it.
Bagels are boiled. Actually, they are boiled and then baked. You can form your
dough into a bagel shape, let it rise, and then gently slip it into a large pan of rapidly
boiling water. Once the bread is firm, remove it with a slotted spoon, let dry, and then fry
each side in a lightly greased skillet to create a crust and finish the cooking. The
advantage in this technique is that you can use much less oil (and oil may be limited in
an emergency) than deep frying.

Bake it.
That’s right—even without an oven you can bake bread. It’s easy to do on
most outdoor grills. (Be prepared. Always have extra propane or charcoal on hand but
never use an outdoor grill indoors.) Baking requires heat from both above and below. If
your grill doesn’t have a cover, use a bucket or tub to capture the heat and direct it down
onto the bread. (You want as much heat coming from above as below.) If the bread is
too close to the heat—as it likely is—stick something under the bread pan to raise it—a
couple empty tuna cans, an old brick—almost anything will work as long as it doesn’t
insulate the bread from the heat.

You can use a Dutch oven to bake bread. Line the Dutch oven with aluminum foil and
place the dough on the foil or lay the bread pan in the Dutch oven. Stack hot coals on
the lid.
You can bake bread over an open fire with two pans. Two pie tins will work for biscuits.
To form a makeshift oven, put a large heavy pan on warm coals, a lid or baking sheet
over the top, and stack on hot coals. Remember, you are trying to get as much heat
from above as below. (The tendency is to have too much heat at the bottom.)
A good place to practice these techniques is on your next camping trip. You can
become a real pro at making unconventional bread while enjoying the treat of fresh
bread while camping. We guarantee that fresh bread over an open fire will make you
the envy of the campground.
With a little imagination, you can bake almost any bread without an oven. If you want to
try frying bread, most white or wheat bread recipes are nearly foolproof. Even without
the emergency, it won’t go to waste.
We can hope that disaster never strikes but it’s nice to know that those bread fixin’s in
the pantry can be used in an emergency.

Making Bread Outdoors
The snow is almost gone and you have spring fever. You’re thinking about those camping trips you’re going to take this summer. Food is a big part of camping and bread is a big part of eating. Bread just tastes better outdoors, it sticks with you through those active days and there’s a sense of accomplishment in making bread without an oven. Here are some ways for making bread in the great outdoors.

• Fry Bread: Fry Bread can be the hit of any camping trip meal, especially if there
are kids along. Serve fried yeast bread with syrup or jam for breakfast or rolled in cinnamon and sugar as a doughnut-like pastry. They can be cooked in an RV, over a camp stove, or an open fire. We've cooked these at almost 11,000 feet--though we had to stick the dough in a sunny tent so that it would rise.

• Steamed Bread: Steamed breads are great at home or in the woods. All they take is a
tin can or a deep pot and can be cooked on the grill, over a fire, or on a burner. No oven
is required.

• Indian Flatbread: This is a quick and hearty camping bread that lends itself to a
homemade mix. Mix it up at home and throw it in the RV or the backpack. When you get
there, you can cook it with only a frying pan and because it is not a yeast bread, it's
quick.

• Makeshift Pizza on the Trail: For a number of years, we took groups of Explorer
Scouts into the Beartooth Mountains of
Montana. A half day's hike from the trailhead are some broad meadows with two
beautiful streams running through them. We dubbed them Pizza Meadows—we always
stopped at the edge of the meadows to make a pizza lunch.
To make these pizzas, we packed a couple of Italian flatbreads the size of our frying
pan—in fact, we nestled them in the frying pan to protect them on the trail. We would
build a small fire with flames only a foot high. While the fire was burning down, we
would cover the bread with tomato paste, sprinkle the top generously with Italian herbs,
add pepperoni and mushrooms, and smoother it in cheese. We would cover the pan in
aluminum foil, nestle the pan into the coals, and wait for the cheese to heat to bubbling.
Granted, these pizzas do not match those at the pizza shop but they are quick,
energy-filled, and better than most trail food.

Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven
Dutch ovens were made for baking. In the hands of a practiced baker, a Dutch oven
will create beautiful breads and desserts. (Though some of us tend to burn breads in a
Dutch oven.)
You can always bake bread in a well-oiled Dutch oven but instead of baking directly in
the oven, consider this method: Put the dough in a baking pan and the pan in the Dutch
oven.
Recently, a reader from California told us of her success baking bread with a pan inside
of a Dutch oven. She used a mix for Irish Potato Bread. This mix creates a large loaf
and she made it according to package instructions. She formed the dough into a round
loaf and placed the dough in a greased nine-inch metal pie pan. She then set the pan
atop small rocks in the bottom of her twelve-inch Dutch oven. She put the lid on the
Dutch oven and the oven on ten briquette coals. Another fourteen briquettes went on
the top. She baked the bread for 45 minutes, turning the lid occasionally. She was
baking at an elevation of 7,000 in the Sequoia Mountains.
“I was surprised and delighted to find that the bread was perfect,” she said. “The crust
was brown on top and it was a real treat . . . a great success.”
You should have similar success baking rolls on a baking pan or a loaf in a traditional
bread pan. To get the right-sized loaves for a Dutch oven, consider bread machine
mixes or recipes for single loaves. A bread machine mix will give you that single loaf or
smaller batch of rolls, just right for a Dutch oven. If you crowd two loaves into a Dutch
oven, there may not be adequate air circulation between the loaves. Without adequate
space, the loaves will tend to be lopsided.
It is important that you elevate the pan off the bottom of the Dutch oven using small
stones so that it does not burn the bottom of the bread. Make sure that you have
enough top clearance so that the rising bread does not reach the lid.
You can use this same technique to bake great desserts or pastries. Consider baking
sweet rolls or pastries in a raised pan in your Dutch oven.
Biscuits
Buttermilk biscuits can be baked wonderfully well in a Dutch oven. The heat of the
Dutch oven causes an “oven burst” of steam that helps make the biscuits light and fluffy,
they don’t take long, and they brown up beautifully.
In some parts of the country, buttermilk biscuits are a staple and a comfort food whether
in an emergency or out camping. When time is scarce and you may not have the time to
roll and cut the dough, here's the answer—drop-style biscuits. You can bake them
directly in a well-oiled Dutch oven or in an elevated pan as described above. We have a
straight-sided, ten-inch cake pan that is perfect.

Here's the recipe that we recommend.
Easiest Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 pound (one stick) cold butter
1 cup plus one tablespoon buttermilk (if buttermilk is not available, use fresh milk or
reconstituted dry milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice added)
Directions:
1. Measure the flour. Add the baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt and stir
these ingredients into the flour. Slice the cold butter into the flour mixture. Use a pastry
knife or two kitchen knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Work the butter into
the flour mixture until you have a coarse, grainy mixture. (See picture.)
3. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture.
Stir until just moistened. The dough should be of a consistency like drop cookie dough
or just a bit stiffer. If it is not moist enough, add another tablespoon of buttermilk.
4. Spoon the dough into rounded mounds in the bottom of the Dutch oven or a pan to go
into a Dutch oven.
5. Bake in a hot Dutch oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until the biscuits begin to brown.
Remove the biscuits and let them cool. If they are left in the Dutch oven with the lid on,
they will sweat and become soggy.

Baking Bread on the Grill
One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread on the grill. Once you get to know your grill, it's easy—like baking your favorite recipe in the oven. We can think of all kinds of reasons to use the grill. You can enjoy fresh baked bread while camping, or at the cabin, or at the next family reunion. Sometimes, it's just nice to get out of the kitchen, enjoy the spring air, and bake outside. (Watch the neighbors turn their noses
upwind when the smell of fresh baked bread wafts over the fence.) And in the
summertime, you don't have to heat up the kitchen to bake. Finally, if there is ever an
extended emergency when the power is off, you may have the only fresh bread in town.
You can bake nearly anything with a covered grill. (If your grill doesn't have a cover,
improvise with a large inverted pot.) The heat rises and circulates in the covered area
just as it does in your oven. The heat source can be charcoal, gas, or even wood. We
prefer gas because it is easier to control and does not impart a smoked taste to the
bread—but in an emergency, don’t be picky. Since it is hottest near the flames, elevate
the bread to get it away from the heat. Some grills have a secondary shelf that you can
use or create a shelf with a baking sheet and four bricks, stones, or cans.
Just like with your oven, the trick to grilling bread perfectly is controlling temperature and
time. If your grill comes equipped with a thermometer, you've got it made (though
ambient temperatures and winds may impact how well your grill retains heat). If you
have a thermometer, just heat to the temperature designated on the package or in the
recipe. If not, guess. After a few loaves you'll have it perfect but we bet that the first
batch off the grill will be just fine.
Your grill can be as versatile as your oven. In preparing for this article, we used white
bread mixes but any mix or recipe will do. We mixed according to package directions.
After it had risen, we formed one batch into oval country loaves, another into hamburger
buns, and another into dinner rolls.
Rolls and buns will probably bake in 15 to 20 minutes and loaves will take 20 to 30
minutes depending on size and temperature. An occasional peek as it nears completion
to see how your bread is doing is okay.
We made twelve giant-sized hamburger buns, just the ticket for that quarter-pounder.
We scaled the buns at four ounces each. To make hamburger buns, form the buns as
you would dinner rolls then press them flat several times until they are disc-shaped as
shown in the picture to the right. Cover and let rise.

Just before baking, we washed the buns with an egg white wash (whisk one egg white
with one tablespoon of water) then sprinkled them with sesame seeds. On our grill, we
baked them with the heat turned about two-thirds open for about 18 minutes.
For the dinner rolls, we used an 8 1/2 x 15-inch pan and made 20 rolls scaled at 2.5
ounces each.
We made two country style loaves from one double mix. If you look closely you'll
see that we forgot to slash the tops to release the steam and consequently ended up with a split on the side of the loaf. Don't do as we did—score two or three quarter-inch deep slashes on the top of the loaf just before you begin baking.
Here are a few more hints to help you along the way:
• Bake the buns before the burgers. The bread can cool while you cook the rest of the
food. Burning grease dripping from the burgers makes the temperature harder to control
and the soot can stain the bread.
• If you are letting your bread rise outside where the temperature may be less than
indoors or where breezes may swirl around the bread, consider using a large food-grade
plastic bag as a greenhouse. Simply slip the bread dough--pan and all--inside the bag,
inflate it slightly, and close it. If the day is cool, set the bag and the bread in a sunny
warm place to capture solar energy.
• Grills tend to not circulate the hot air as well as ovens. To keep the bottom of the bread
from burning, place one pan beneath the other. The second pan will tend to insulate the
bottom of the bread and keep it from burning. Sometimes place a wire rack between the
pans for even more insulation.
• If your bread is baking faster on one side than the other, turn the pan 180 degrees part
way through the baking cycle.
• The tendency is to burn the bottom of the bread. Place the bread as far away from the
flames as you can, even if it means elevating the bread.
We hope that you have fun baking bread outside this summer. We do know that you will
be the envy of the neighborhood, campground, or RV park.

Steamed Bread at Home or Camping
Steamed breads are so versatile. We love the outdoors and are always looking for
interesting and different foods that we can cook while camping and steamed breads can
be cooked as you lounge around the campfire. They make wonderful treats at home.
And they make great emergency fare since you don't need an oven or even a range to
cook these breads.
Many heritage cookbooks have recipes for steamed bread but you can experiment with
quick bread recipes. Many will work steamed as well as baked. Steamed breads tend
to be moister and denser than most quick bread recipes.
We put the following recipe together for a trip into the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming
with a group of Varsity Scouts. We assembled the ingredients in plastic bags before
leaving home. At the camp site, we started it cooking next to the morning fire and by the
time breakfast was over and the dishes were done, the bread was ready. It was a little
rich for morning food--more like a cake than a bread--but these backpackers didn't seem
to mind and it certainly turned out good enough to be a great treat at home.
Apricot-Date Nut Bread with Caramel Sauce
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup apricot nectar
2 cups chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts
Caramel Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup dry milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. (If you are taking this camping, combine
these ingredients in a plastic bag before leaving.)
Stir in the juice until just combined. (An individual serving-sized can of apricot nectar is
just about the right size.) Stir in the dates and nuts. (If you prefer, you can substitute
raisins, dried apricots, or cranberries for the dates. Of course, you can use your favorite
nuts.)

Pack the dough into a well-greased large can or other cooking container. Cover the top
with heavy foil and tie it securely with string. The objective is to capture steam inside
the container to cook the bread.
Place the can on a rack in a large pan or kettle. (At camp, a few clean pebbles work as
well as a rack.) Fill the pan with water and set it to simmer. Let the pan simmer for two
hours, adding water as necessary. When done, invert the bread onto a plate and slice to
serve.
For the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar and cornstarch and
stir. Then stir the water and dry milk together and add to the pan. Cook and stir until
thick and bubbly, about five minutes at low heat. Add the vanilla. Serve hot or cold over
the nut bread. (For camping, put the dry ingredients in a plastic bag adding the vanilla to
the brown sugar. Melt the butter; add the dry ingredients and then the water.)

Fried Bread
When we think bread, we think baked—but donuts and pancakes are examples of
breads that are fried. We would like to introduce you to fried bread choices that will do
in an emergency, work wonderfully well on camping trips, and are even a treat at home. We suggest trying some of these at home— you’ll discover that your family likes these and become familiar with them before using them in the woods or in an emergency.

Flatbread
While any bread recipe can be used to make fry bread in an emergency, here’s one that
is a camping favorite and would be a staple for us in an extended emergency. It’s
simple, kids like it, and it can be made on any heat source. It’s not a lot of trouble
and you don’t have to wait for the yeast to work. When we go on youth backpacking
trips, this is a staple. We served it on a dark night early last spring in the Big Hole Mountains to a group of hungry venture scouts. Served around the campfire with hot maple syrup, this was a real hit. It’s called Indian Flatbread.

Trail Syrup
(Emergency or Camping Syrup Mix)
Measure two cups of granulated sugar into a heavy duty plastic bag.
Form a depression in the sugar and drop in 1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring. The sugar will absorb the liquid flavoring. Seal the bag and place inside a second bag
if necessary. When ready to serve, mix the sugar with one cup of boiling water and
stir until the crystals are dissolved. Reheat if necessary. (When we make this at home, we add corn syrup for thicker syrup.)

This makes a quick side dish to feed the kids, a bread that you can make without an
oven, and a great trail bread. You can double or triple the recipe depending on how big
your tribe is.
4 cups bread flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup dry milk solids
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
Enough vegetable oil to fill the frying pan to 1/2-inch deep.
Mix the dry ingredients together. Form a depression in the dry ingredients and slowly
pour half the water in. Mix and add the remaining water as needed to form a soft but not
sticky dough. Knead the dough lightly. Cut pieces from the dough and form them into
round discs about 1/4-inch thick.
Heat the oil until hot. When the oil is hot enough, a small piece of the dough placed in
the oil should brown quickly but not burn. Slip the dough pieces into the hot oil, fry them
until brown on one side, and turn. When done, remove them to paper towels.
Serve them hot as a bread or with syrup or honey as a side dish.

Sopaipillas
We like the versatility of sopaipillas. They are great at home as an accompaniment for meals, a vehicle for our favorite Mexican foods, or dipped in cinnamon and sugar and
served as a snack for the kids. But they also work as camping food or in an emergency. They can be made ahead of time as a mix and they work as great, fresh bread on a
backpacking trip. And keep them in mind for emergency bread—they can be cooked
over any heat when the power goes out. Best of all, they are quick and easy.
Here’s a recipe that works well and can be used as a mix. It can be frozen for long term
storage but will keep for weeks without refrigeration.

Santa Fe Sopaipillas

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup dry milk
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup cool water
Optional cinnamon-sugar coating:
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions:
1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. At this point, you have a
mix. Store the mix for no longer than thirty days in the pantry, six months in the
refrigerator, or two years in the freezer.
2. To use the mix, place the ingredients in a medium bowl. Form a depression in
the middle and pour in the water.
3. Cut the water into the mix. The dough will be crumbly and dry. Remove to a
clean surface and knead for two minutes. You will have a stiff dough.
4. Form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Smash the balls flat with the heel
of your hand until they are no more than 1/4-inch thick.
5. Heat cooking oil in a heavy fry pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be 3/8-inch
deep and hot enough that there is a slight sizzle when the dough is placed in the
oil.
6. Fry each side until brown. Dip in cinnamon and sugar if desired.
This recipe will make about a dozen three-inch sopaipillas.

Pancakes: Not Just for Breakfast
Pancakes don't have to be a sweet breakfast food. We're fascinated with savory pancakes. It's a great, quick way to get bread with a meal without heating up the oven.
Again, unusual pancakes make great camping or emergency food—solid, stick-to-your-ribs food without a lot of fuss. Use your imagination when

making pancakes;
we like this combination of corn and cheese in a bread.
Colorado Corn Pancakes with Cheddar-Onion Sauce
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion, grated
For the pancakes:
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup milk, more or less
Directions for the sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour to make a paste.
2. While on low heat, add a little of the milk and stir until combined. Add the rest
of the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Continue heating, stirring regularly,
until the sauce starts to bubble.
3. Add the cheese and onion and stir until smooth. Set aside.
2.
Directions for the pancakes:
1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk three eggs together in a small bowl. Add the milk. Add the milk and egg
mixture to the dry ingredients. Add the corn and melted butter and stir until
combined. Add more milk as needed to bring the mixture to the consistency of
pancake batter.
3. Cook as you would pancakes.

"Here Comes Goodbye" - Rascal Flatts

Pre-Existence, in Spiritual Form, of Man, the Lower Animals and the Earth—The Temporal Probationary State—The Millennium—The Final Change.

Discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered at Mount Pleasant, November 12th, 1879.

Reported By: Geo. F. Gibbs.

Through the kind providence of our heavenly Father we are permitted, on this pleasant day, to assemble here in this comfortable house, for the purpose of worshiping God, and hearing instruction as the Lord may see proper, in his kindness and wisdom, to pour out his spirit, and make manifest the truth to us. It is a pleasing thing for the human mind, to contemplate that it has some object to worship; that there is a being, far exalted above us, who dwells in the heavens, who is worthy of all adoration and praise; and that we are his children, in possession of a portion of his attributes.

The world which we inhabit is a fallen creation, a fallen world, shut out from the presence of our Father, the being whom we worship, so that we cannot behold his face, nor the glory of his presence. It is for a wise purpose, that we are placed here, in this fallen condition. It seems to be so, as far as we have been made acquainted with the purposes of the great Jehovah. It seems to be the ordeal, through which all intelligent beings must pass, in order to gain that fullness of exaltation, in the presence of God, which is promised in his word.

We were not always in the condition we are now in. We are only placed here for a few years, and are adapted to our present condition. A long time before you and I came here upon this stage of action, we had an intelligent existence; we dwelt in a better world than this, and a world that had been redeemed, a world that had been sanctified and glorified; in other words, a world that had been made celestial, just as we are in hopes that our present world will, at some future period, be exalted to the celestial glory, and become the habitation of celestial beings. That world we occupied, before we came here, was celestial; our Father had his dwelling place there, or, at least, one of his dwelling places; and we were surrounded by our Father's glory, we were familiar with his countenance, familiar with the beautiful mansions that were there—familiar with all the glory that existed there, so far as we were capable of comprehending. There was no veil drawn between us and our Father, no veil drawn between us and the associates of our Father, who were also celestial beings, many of them having been redeemed from a world more ancient than ours. We had a long experience, I suppose, in that world; at least, we know from that which our Father has revealed to us, that we were born there; that this intelligent being that has power to discern, power to reflect, power to reason—that this intelligent being was born in that previous estate.

These were some of the first revelations given in this last dispensation. The Lord did not wait several years, before he revealed unto us, in some measure, concerning our condition before we came here. Hence, it was away back in the year 1830, that this doctrine of the pre-existence of man was revealed, in greater fullness, than it was given in the Book of Mormon. There are two or three places in the Book of Mormon that reveal the pre-existence of man; but not in such great plainness, as was given soon after the publication of that Book, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, before the Saints began to gather, informing us that we were in reality the children of our Father and God; that we had a pre-existence in which we had learned many very important principles, connected with spiritual existence, before taking bodies of flesh and bones, which was also necessary to afford us a still greater experience. Now, in this plan that God has devised for the advancement of these intelligent beings—by passing them through various stages of existence, under different circumstances, and in different conditions—he gives them experience that they never could have gained, had they remained in the presence of the Father, in that world which was celestial; in other words, we were his offspring in that world, our spiritual bodies not having flesh and bones, but being in the image of the Father and Son—his own sons and daughters. He

had a great desire that we should be educated and taught. He could teach us a great many things in that world as we teach our children; he could impart to us a great many things—for there were as many truths in existence in that day as are in existence now; but truths were taught to us, as we were capable of understanding them. The Lord felt anxious that we might come up and eventually be made like him, as it is written in the New Testament, “who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” I have no doubt before we came into this world, we had a great anxiety, that we might be brought up in the same way he was instructed and taught, and led along, passing through different conditions of existence, that we finally might be counted worthy to be exalted at his right hand, and receive the fullness of his celestial glory the same that he is in possession of and that we might have all his attributes, dwelling within us, as separate individuals and personages, that he might exalt us like unto himself. Now, there is a great deal to be comprehended, when we are told that we are children who will become like our Father; that we were like him in our first stage and condition of existence. We were there, as it were, children without a fullness of knowledge; many experiences had not yet been given to us; but we were like him in our general outline—the outline of our persons; our general form was like him, “after his image” etc. It is thus written in the Book of Mormon, in that great vision to the brother of Jared, in which the Lord condescended to take the veil off his eyes. The brother of Jared had gone up into the mountain, and had moulten out of a rock sixteen small stones, which he carried up into the top of the mount. He went there with an object in view; the object was to get the Lord to touch the stones that they might shine forth in darkness in the eight vessels, (which had been built to convey him and his brother across the great waters) one to be placed at each end of each of the vessels. It would naturally increase the faith of the brother of Jared, to believe it possible that he might see the finger of the Lord. He was going to pray that God would touch the stones, the same as we pray for the Lord to put forth his finger and touch the particles of oil, when we dedicate it, for sacred purposes. If we pray in faith, we must suppose that the finger touches the oil. And Jared prayed in faith. He did not know but what it might be his privilege to see his finger. He did see it; it appeared to him like the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood. But his faith was too great for his nervous system; for when he saw the finger of the Lord, he fell to the earth through fear. And the Lord looked unto him and asked him why he had fallen. He answered and said, “I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.” He did not know but what his imperfections were so great, that the Lord would smite him; but he was commanded to arise. The Lord then asked him, “Sawest thou more than this?” And he answered: “Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.” Here was a prayer that extended a little further. The Lord wanted to see what amount of faith he had, and he put another question to him, “Believest thou the words which I shall speak?” And he answered, “Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.” And when the brother of Jared had manifested his faith, the Lord condescended to show his whole personage to him, and said, “Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my spirit.”

Here the pre-existence of man was taught in the Book of Mormon. All men in the beginning were created after the image of this body which he was then shewing. All the human family that then existed, and that would exist in future time upon the earth, were created in the beginning, after the image of that body; that is, that body which he showed was not a body of flesh and bones, but a pure spiritual body, organized out of pure spiritual substance, filled with light and truth. He informed this great man of God, that he was prepared, from before the foundation of the world, to redeem his people. “Behold,” says he, “I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name.”

Here, then, was a great deal of information given to us, concerning the formation of the human spirit, the formation of men—the formation of their persons, and their individualities, before the foundation of this world.

It was after this was given, and the Book of Mormon was published, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arose. But the Lord, thinking that we had not sufficient understanding of this pre-existence, began to tell us (in the month of June 1830, only a few months after the organization of the Church) more about these things.

He told us about the spiritual creation, something we did not comprehend before. We used to read the first and second chapters of Genesis which give an account of the works of the Almighty, but did not distinguish between the spiritual work and the temporal work of Christ. Although there are some things in King James' translation that give us a little distinction between the two creations, yet we did not comprehend it. The light shone, in some measure, in darkness, but so dark were our minds, through tradition, that we did not comprehend the light—or the few feeble glimmerings of light, contained in these first and second chapters, of the uninspired translation. But our heavenly Father inspired his servant Joseph Smith, to translate several chapters more in the Book of Genesis, in December 1830, which gave a more full account, down to the days of the flood. He told us a great many important principles, principles that he did not give, so far as the historical matter was concerned, in the Book of Mormon. They were an addition in some respects, and therefore, they were new to us, who lived in the early rise of the Church, and calculated to give us great joy.

In these two creations that took place in the beginning, represented as the beginning of this creation—not absolutely the beginning of all the creations of God; for his works are without beginning and without end, they never cease, nor does his word cease; he speaks to us, so far as this creation is concerned, according to our natural ideas and understanding. He says, “all things I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit—I created them firstly spiritual and secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again firstly temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work, speaking unto you that you may naturally understand; but unto myself my works have no end neither beginning.”

We learn, therefore, when speaking of this spiritual creation, that not only all the children of men, of all generations, and of all ages, were created spiritually in heaven, but that fish and fowls, and beasts, and all animated things, having life, were first made spiritual in heaven, on the fifth and sixth days, before bodies of flesh were prepared for them on the earth; and that there was no flesh upon the earth until the morning of the seventh day. On that morning God made the first fleshly tabernacle and took man's spirit and put within it, and man became a living soul—the first flesh upon the earth—the first man also. Though it was the seventh day, no flesh but this one tabernacle was yet formed. No fish, fowl and beast was as yet permitted to have a body of flesh. The second chapter of Genesis, (new translation) informs us that the spirits of fowls were created in heaven, the spirits of fish and cattle, and all things that dwell upon the earth, had their pre-existence. They were created in heaven, the spiritual part of them; not their flesh and bones. We are also told in this inspired translation, that these living trees which we behold—for God has given life unto all things—had their spiritual existence in heaven before their temporal existence; every herb and every tree, before it was planted out on the earth, that is, the spiritual part of it, the life of it, that which, in other words, animates that which gives power to the vegetable to bring forth fruit after its likeness—the spiritual part existed in heaven. It

was a spiritual creation first. We are also told that the earth was organized in a spiritual form, that is, that portion that gives life to the earth. We read about the earth's dying, and that it shall be quickened again. What is it that will make the earth die? It will be the withdrawing of the spiritual portion from it, that which gives it life—that which animates it, and causes it to bring forth fruit; that which quickens the earth is the Spirit of God. That spiritual creation existed before the temporal was formed. This was the beginning of the first part of his work, pertaining to this creation. On the seventh day he began the temporal portion. There was not yet a man to till the ground, “and the gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit—that is the man's spirit—and put it into him and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” This we read in the 2nd chapter of Genesis, and you will find it recorded on the 6th and 35th pages of the new edition of the Pearl of Great Price.

Abraham also obtained a knowledge of the spiritual creation, as well as the temporal. In giving a history of the creation, he speaks of the formation of man out of the ground, how he took man's spirit that was created in heaven and put it within the body of man, and man became a living soul—the first flesh upon the earth, as recorded in the second of Genesis. Now, we have been in the habit of thinking that the various kinds of animals that have lived, according to geologists, were the first flesh on the earth, and we go away back millions of ages to see that these lower formations of life existed before man. But the Lord gives us different information from this. He shows us that among all the animated creatures of flesh, man was the first that was ever placed upon the earth in this temporal condition, contradicting the theories of geologists—that is, so far as placing man on the earth in this present probation is concerned. What may have taken place millions of ages before the world was organized temporally for man to inhabit is not revealed; but, so far as this present change is concerned, that took place about six thousand years ago, man was the first being that came upon the earth and inhabited a body of flesh and bones. Afterwards, on the seventh day, out of the ground the Lord God created the beasts of the field. Go back to the first chapter of Genesis, and you will find that the beasts, etc., were formed on the sixth day or period, and that on the seventh there was no flesh on the earth, and having created man as the first flesh upon the earth, God then created, out of the ground, the beasts of the field.

Here is the second part of the beginning of his work: firstly, spiritual—the beasts created in heaven; then, secondly, temporal—their bodies formed out of the ground, their spirits being put within these bodies, and the beasts became living souls. As it was with the birds of the air, so with the fish of the sea, and so with all animated creatures pertaining to this world. This is the history of the generations of the heavens and the earth, on the day that the Lord God created them; and the Lord has seen proper to reveal this great information in the first of Genesis, and in the Book of Abraham.

Now, let us consider the condition of the temporal work, for it is needful for us to understand these things, that we may advance in the knowledge of God, in the knowledge of truth, in this great school of experience. Let us try to understand, then, the nature of the temporal work; for it was formed in the manner specified in this revelation. Was there any death in this creation after the temporal was formed, before the fall? No. Were any birds of the air subject to death? No. Were any of the fishes of the sea? No. Were there any animals placed on the earth in their temporal condition their bodies being formed and adapted to the spirit that came from heaven—were any subject to death? No. Were they ferocious? No. To every animal that God had granted life he had given every green herb of the field for meat, whether it was the lion, the leopard, the wolf, or whatever animal may have existed upon the face of the earth. There was no such thing as one animal destroying another—fighting and quarrelling were unknown among the beasts of the field. A little child, if there had been any, could have played, so far as any danger was concerned, with these animals, and they feasted upon the green herbs which were given to the beasts for their sustenance. By and by, a garden was made eastward in Eden, in which the Lord planted a great many beautiful trees. This was purely a temporal work, and that Garden would have existed until today if death had not come into the world through the fall of our first parents.

How different was the second or temporal work, that existed in the beginning of the great work of creation, from the present order of things! Now we see, and according to history we learn, that all creation are at enmity one with another in their natural state. Hence we find the lions with teeth, probably constructed since the fall, and adapted to devour their prey. I do not believe they had such teeth in the beginning. They had teeth with which they ate “straw like the ox.” But everything was changed in a great measure, in this beautiful temporal creation; and the beasts began to fight, and quarrel, and devour each other; and man began to be ferocious, like the beasts, desirous to kill his fellow man. We see him at this early stage in our race, seeking the blood of his fellows, and entering into secret combinations to kill, and destroy, and rob one another of their position and property, and to be at enmity one against another. The Lord in the midst of this fallen condition of his temporal work, has permitted it to continue for about, 6,000 years. But mankind have been devising a multitude of measures, by which they reform one another; but after they get pretty well reformed they rise up again and devour one another by wholesale. While they are engaged in reforming each other, they are making weapons of destruction to destroy one another. Enmity prevails, and has prevailed, for the last 6,000 years, with the exception of now and then a dispensation, being introduced, wherein this fallen nature of ours becomes, in a great measure, changed through obedience to the plan of salvation which God has revealed; and then we begin to love our fellow men, are filled with love and kindness like, in some measure, our heavenly Father, going forth and proclaiming to them the Gospel of peace, and trying to do them good, and redeem them, and reclaim them; and we succeed, now and then, in bringing some to a higher state; they are born of God, and become new creatures in Christ, being filled with that superior power, that exists in that celestial world, where we formerly resided. It comes down from the Father, and from the Son, and enters into the hearts of the sons and daughters of God, and they are made new creatures; they begin to love that which is good, and hate that which is evil, and begin to perfect themselves in their various dispensations, according to the light and knowledge sent down from heaven for their perfection.

Notwithstanding so many dispensations, and the world has continued so long under the power of Satan, now is the time when the Lord our God has begun to send forth a proclamation of redemption, to lift us up out of this low fallen condition in which we have been placed, and our fathers before us, for so long a time; and it so happens that we are living very near the period when the earth will be restored from its fallen condition to that same temporal condition in which it existed before the fall, when there was no enmity existing between mankind. I say, the day is now almost at hand when the Lord is going to begin the last of his work, which will be to make this earth again temporal—or in other words, to remove, in some measure, the curse—to restore it back to the temporal condition in which it was when he first organized it and before sin contaminated it.

In order to accomplish this work, he is working, according to his own will and pleasure, among the nations, raising up a kingdom, a nucleus, by taking them “one of a city and two of a family,” gathering them out from every nation to the land of Zion and planting the truth in their hearts; they become more and more instructed and learn more and more of the ways of the Lord, preparatory to the organization of this world again in its temporal beauty and

perfection as it was when it first issued forth in its temporal form from the hands of the Almighty.

There is one thing connected with the temporal form of the earth which I did not mention; I will refer to it now. While this earth existed in its more perfect temporal form, Adam and Eve were placed upon it, and they were immortal, just like all the beasts and just like the fishes of the sea; death had not yet come upon any of them; all things were immortal so far as this creation was concerned. The first pairs, the beginning of his temporal work, were not subject to death. And another thing, they were not to be shut out from the presence of the Almighty. They could behold his countenance, they could hear his voice. Those who then existed—could converse with him freely. There was no veil between them and the Lord. Now, when the more perfect temporal condition shall be restored again, in the last of his work, and the Lord shall begin to remodel this earth, to transfigure it, and get it prepared for the righteous, the veil will be taken away, in a measure; we shall behold the face of the Lord again; we shall be able to associate with immortal beings again; and we shall be able to enjoy a great many blessings that were introduced in the beginning, which were lost through the fall. The Lord Jesus Christ will be here, a part of the time, to instruct us, and those ancient patriarchs, Adam included, will come down out of their ancient celestial world, where they were first made spiritual. They are coming upon this creation; and they will have their homesteads here; and they will frequently, no doubt, take great joy in gathering together their faithful children, from the day of their own probation to the one hundredth generation. It will be some pleasure for one of our ancestors that was born a hundred generations ago to say, “Come, my children, you that are here in the flesh that have not as yet become immortal, you that dwell upon the face of this earth, partially redeemed—come, I have some glorious tidings to communicate to you. I have something that you are not in possession of, knowledge you have not gained, because we have been up in yonder celestial world; we have been dwelling in the presence of our Father and God. We were restored there in the dispensation in which we died and in which we were translated, and we have learned a great many things that the children of mortality do not know anything about. Come, gather yourselves together, that you may behold your former fathers, your fathers' fathers and so on, until you extend back for a hundred generations. Hear the instructions that they shall impart to you. They will tell you about the celestial kingdom, and the higher glory thereof, and the blessings that are to be enjoyed by those that attain to the fulness of that kingdom.” Will not this be encouraging to those that are yet mortal, during the millennium? I think it will. Then will the knowledge of the fathers, the knowledge of the earth, and of the things of God, and the knowledge of that which is celestial, and great, and glorious, and far beyond the comprehension of imperfect beings as we now are in our fallen state—then that knowledge will be opened up to the minds of the children of men, during their respective generations here upon the earth, during the great sabbath of creation. What is all this for? It is to prepare their children, during the millennium that they may have this earth made celestial, like unto the more ancient one, that they, with this creation, may be crowned with the presence of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. We gain this knowledge and information by degrees. Our children are educated and taught, until the heavens become familiar with them; the Lord becomes familiar with them; his countenance becomes familiar to all the righteous of the earth. Before we can fully understand the nature of a still greater change than that which has been wrought upon the temporal creation, during the millennium, we begin to expect it, and look for it, and by and by, when evil fruit again appears in the Lord's vineyard, and the earth is corrupted by the sons of perdition, and some of his people begin to reject the heavenly light, and deny their God—when this period of time shall come the earth will be spared only for a little season, and the end will come, and the great white throne will appear, and God will sit upon the throne, and utter forth his voice and our temporal heaven will flee away; and this earth although it will be so greatly blessed, although it is so far redeemed, although it is inhabited by the righteous for a thousand years, yet, because it will become contaminated, and because it has been so corrupted in the past, in consequence of the fall of man, it will have to die and undergo a greater change, than all these changes of which I have spoken.

But what says the revelation, called the “Olive Leaf,” given Dec. 27th, 1832, on this subject? We are told in this that the earth shall die, and pass away, but it shall be quickened again, for God shall quicken the earth upon which we live. It will become a new earth; but will be prepared more perfectly than it was under the three other conditions in which it was placed; first its spiritual creation, secondly its temporal, in which its spiritual and temporal were combined. The next condition is that of restoring it from the fall back to a temporal condition, and then a still greater change, like unto the death of our bodies, when our bodies crumble back to mother earth and pass themselves among the elements. So it will be with this earth. It will crumble, or in other words, the elements will be separated asunder, and the world will pass away from his presence. What next? Another great change to be wrought. The same elements, constituting the earth, and the atmosphere will be brought together again, in such a manner and way, that the new earth will look like unto a sea of glass, and those who are worthy of the celestial glory will inhabit it forever. What will be the condition of the people who dwell upon that glorious celestial world? They will have the presence of God the Father with them. They will be permitted to dwell where he is. He will light up that world; they will have no need of the rays of the sun, as we now have, neither of the moon, nor stars, so far as light is concerned, for the Lord God will be their light and their glory from that time henceforth and forever. In this new creation the tree of life will flourish and grow. All beings that partake of the fruit of the tree of life will be constituted, so that they will live forever and ever.

These are the different conditions of this creation given in a general outline. We are now living near the close of 6,000 years during which time evil and wickedness have prevailed. The devil has had great power and dominion over the generations of the earth; and the earth itself has groaned under the load of sin and corruption which has been upon its face. Enoch when enveloped in the vision of the Almighty, beheld and heard the earth groan under this load of wickedness, crying out to the Lord, saying—“When will my creator sanctify me, that righteousness may abide upon my face. When shall I rest from all the wickedness that has gone out of me.” He was informed that there was a day of rest coming for old mother earth—for he was grieved in his heart for the earth itself, as well as the inhabitants thereof; for he saw how the earth was afflicted, until she groaned to be relieved. But the time will come, when it will be sanctified. We are living near that period of time. It is for this purpose you have come to these mountains. It is for this purpose you have received the spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, the comforter, to sanctify you, and prepare you to take part in this great work of the latter days, which God has decreed from the beginning should come to pass in its time and season.

You have come from the nations abroad, to be instructed in the ways of the Lord, to be taught in the ordinances that pertain to the great and last dispensation of the fullness of times—ordinances that did not pertain to any former dispensation—ordinances that were not made known to any former people, but ordinances and principles that pertain to the exaltation and glory of the world which we inhabit.

This being then the present condition of our earth, the present condition of the Latter-day Saints, and the work that is before them, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, and for the redemption of the earth, what manner of persons ought you and I to be, to prepare for so great a change which is to come, over the face of this creation? How ought we to act and conduct ourselves? How careful we ought to be in our doings, in all our conversations, in all our ways, to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, to have an eye single to his glory, to keep his commandments in all things, to obey him with full purpose of heart, that we may be visited with more and more of that heavenly divine spirit, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost which we had confirmed upon us, by authority, through the laying on of hands. That Comforter should be nourished and cherished in our hearts. We should not grieve it. We should listen to its whisperings, and we should seek after more light, and knowledge, and truth. We must not expect the Holy Spirit to impart the future knowledge that will be necessary for the advancement of Latter-day Saints without any exertion of the mind on our part. In all things the Lord requires man as an agent to exert his faculties in order to obtain any blessing, of whatever nature it may be, whether it be the spirit of vision or the spirit of translating, or any other gift. We cannot let our minds remain dormant, taking no thought, expecting to be filled with the spirit of translation, or the spirit of inspiration, or revelation, or vision; but there must be an exertion of the mind, there must be an exercise of the agency of man and woman, in order that we may reach out after these great and glorious gifts, promised to us. And by and by, we will, after a school of experience has been given to us, find ourselves advanced to that degree, that the Lord will condescend to visit us by his angels—visit us by heavenly communications—visit us by visions—visit us more fully by the spirit of revelation that the words of Isaiah may be fulfilled to the very letter. When speaking of the latter-day Zion, he says, “thy children shall all be taught of the Lord”—not, being under the necessity of being taught by man, but all shall know the Lord from the least of them unto the greatest of them. This is the promise. All the children will be taught from on high, like the Nephite children in ancient days. We know how it was with them. The power of the Holy Ghost descended upon them, filling them, and encircling them round about, by a pillar of fire, and their tongues were loosed, even the tongues of babes and sucklings uttered forth great and marvelous things far greater than that which Jesus had taught to them. The Lord operated upon them, to utter forth his knowledge, so that their fathers marveled exceedingly. So great was the power and intelligence of Almighty God, manifested through these little babes, that no man was permitted to write the words they spoke, no man was permitted to utter them, no man was permitted to hand down these things to future generations; they were things too great, too glorious, too holy, too far advanced for the children of this world. Hence they were hidden up from the world.

May God assist us, and pour out his Holy Spirit upon us is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

People I Admire... ALISON KRAUSS

ALISON KRAUSS

For Alison Krauss, musical collaboration has been a way of life. Her own story, of course, has been nothing short of amazing: signed to Rounder Records as a precocious, 14 year-old fiddler from Champaign, Illinois, she has, over two decades, become the most recognized face in contemporary bluegrass and a critically acclaimed artist who has brought modern sophistication to the genre while respecting its traditions. She has also managed to sell over 11.5 million records and garner 26 Grammy® Awards, the most for any female artist in Grammy® history. Krauss has consistently worked to honor her influences, like contemporary bluegrass pioneer Tony Rice, to promote discoveries like the Cox Family and Nickel Creek and to offer her skills as producer for those artists and others, most recently, country star Alan Jackson.

Krauss' latest musical collaboration, Raising Sand, is an astonishing album recorded in tandem with rock vocalist and songwriter Robert Plant. Released on Rounder on October 23, 2007, Raising Sand is their first recorded endeavor, and will prove revelatory to fans and the media on two counts: first that it happened at all, and, more importantly, that is is as successful an illuminating as it is.

Under the careful sonic stewardship of producer T Bone Burnett, Raising Sand is pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the unrealized potential of the folk-rock revolution. Shockingly evocative, it is an album that uncovers popular music's elemental roots while sounding effortlessly, breath-takingly modern. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Plant and Krauss share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. Raising Sand finds Plant and Krauss functioning as sympathetic equals: creating a powerful new sound from both their common music ground and their unrivaled sense of empathy.

Just before the release of Raising Sand, Krauss released A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection, an elegantly understated disc with several previously released collaborations with such artists and friends as Brad Paisley, John Waite, James Taylor, Natalie MacMaster and The Chieftains, along with songs she cut for the films Cold Mountain, O Brother, Where Art Thou?The Prince Of Egypt. Already making its way to radio is the remake of Waite’s “Missing You,” which the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has called “a killer duet” with an “incandescent” Krauss. She also recorded and produced five new tracks, including a soulful slow-dance tempo of Don Williams’ “Lay Down Beside Me” with Rounder Records label-mate Waite, to create something far more than just a compilation. With 16 songs, A Hundred Miles or More gracefully balances the new with the familiar to form a vivid portrait of this adventurous artist, chronicling the places she’s been and showcasing the hauntingly beautiful solo work Krauss is making right now.

While Union Station took a hiatus from touring for most of 2006, Krauss took full advantage of the down time to explore new musical horizons. Her production of Alan Jackson’s 2006 release, Like Red on a Rose, which the Chicago Sun-Times declared “a masterpiece,” took the best-selling artist out of his familiar surroundings to create a moody, intimate song cycle that has been favorably compared to Frank Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours. The New York Times

Krauss has won an extraordinary 26 Grammy® awards, the most of any female artist in the history of the Grammy's. Most recently she won 6 for her collaboration with Robert Plant, Raising Sand, which won the prestigious Album Of The Year, and Record Of The Year (for "Please Read The Letter") honors. She’s also been on the receiving end of several Country Music Association Awards, including Musical Event of the Year for “Whiskey Lullaby” with Brad Paisley, originally released on Paisley’s Mud on the Tires and reprised on A Hundred Miles or More. The International Bluegrass Music Association Awards have honored her on several occasions, most recently for Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’ – Songs of the Louvin Brothers, which features her duet with James Taylor, “How’s the World Treating You,” also included on the new album. The two tracks she cut for the Cold Mountain soundtrack, “The Scarlet Tide” and “You Will Be My Ain True Love” (with Sting on harmony vocals) were nominated for Oscars in 2004.

More impressive, however, than any of these accolades has been Krauss’s unwavering commitment to being an independent-label artist who has succeeded far beyond the scope of many major-label artists. She’s been able to circulate freely within pop, mainstream country and roots music circles, creating impeccably produced records that appeal to an equally wide-ranging and inquisitive audience. Krauss has continued doing things the old-fashioned way: following her heart and whatever path the music takes her. and an “inspired by” album for the animated described it as “a deeply country record that sounds nothing like a country record.” Following the project with Jackson, she recorded the five new tracks for the collection release and worked with long time engineer Gary Paczosa to remix several of the other tracks. As other musical opportunities arose, she relished the opportunity to work, guesting as harmony vocalist or fiddler on several outside projects. Last December, she traveled to Washington, DC to salute Dolly Parton – no slouch herself in the bluegrass department – at the Kennedy Center Honors, performing Parton’s classics “Jolene” and “My Tennessee Mountain Home” with her friends Suzanne Cox (of the Cox Family) and Cheryl White (of the vocal trio The Whites).

Recommended Storage For Various Foods

Breads, Cereals, Flour and Rice

Bread should be stored in the original package at room temperature and used within 5 to 7 days. However, bread stored in the refrigerator will have a longer shelf-life due to delayed mold growth and may be firmer. Expect a 2- to 3-month shelf-life of bread stored in the freezer. Refrigerate cream style bakery goods containing eggs, cream cheese, whipped cream and/or custards no longer than 3 days.

Cereals may be stored at room temperature in tightly closed containers to keep out moisture and insects. Whole wheat flour may be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to retard rancidity of the natural oils.

Store raw white rice in tightly closed containers at room temperature and use within one year. Brown and wild rice stored at room temperature will have a shorter shelf-life (6 months) due to the oil becoming rancid. Shelf-life of raw white and brown rice may be extended by refrigeration. Cooked rice may be stored in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 days or in the freezer for 6 months.

Fresh Vegetables

Removing air (oxygen) from the package, storing the vegetables at 40°F refrigerated temperatures, and maintaining optimum humidity (95 to 100%) may extend shelf-life of fresh vegetables. Most fresh vegetables may be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Always wrap or cover fresh leafy vegetables in moisture-proof bags to retain product moisture and prevent wilting. Root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, etc.) and squashes, eggplant, and rutabagas should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated place between 50°F and 60°F. Tomatoes continue to ripen after harvesting and should be stored at room temperature. Removing the tops of carrots, radishes, and beets prior to refrigerator storage will reduce loss of moisture and extend shelf-life. Palatability of corn diminishes during cold storage due to elevated starch content. Corn and peas should be stored in a ventilated container. Lettuce should be rinsed under cold running water, drained, packaged in plastic bags, and refrigerated. Proper storage of fresh vegetables will maintain quality and nutritive value.

Processed Vegetables

Canned vegetables can be stored in a cool, dry area below 85°F (optimum 50°F to 70°F) for up to one year. After one year, canned vegetables may still be consumed. However, overall quality and nutritional value may have diminished. Discard badly dented, swollen, and/or rusty cans.

Frozen vegetables may be stored in the freezer for 8 months at 0°F. Dehydrated vegetables should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within 6 months since they have a tendency to lose flavor and color. Home prepared vegetables should be blanched prior to freezing. For more information on home food preservation see VCE Publication 348-576, Freezing Fruits & Vegetables (www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/348-596/348-596.html).

Fresh Fruit

In general, store fresh fruit in the refrigerator or in a cold area to extend shelf-life. Reduce loss of moisture from fresh fruit by using, covered containers. Always store fresh fruit in a separate storage area in the refrigerator, since fresh fruits may contaminate or absorb odors from other foods. Prior to consumption, rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under cold running water to remove possible pesticide residues, soil, and/or bacteria. Peeling, followed by washing of fresh fruits and vegetables, is also very efficient in removing residues.

Ripe eating apples should be stored separately from other foods in the refrigerator and eaten within one month. Apples stored at room temperature will soften rapidly within a few days. Remember to remove apples that are bruised or decayed prior to storage in the refrigerator. Do not wash apples prior to storage.

Green pears and apricots should be ripened at room temperature and then stored in the refrigerator. Expect a 5-day refrigerated shelf-life for these fruits.

Unripe peaches may be ripened at room temperature and eaten after 2 days. Store ripe peaches in the refrigerator but consume at room temperature.

Grapes and plums should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten fresh within 5 days of purchase. Store unwashed grapes separately from other foods in the refrigerator and wash prior to consumption.

Ripe strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator separately from other foods for approximately 3 days. Strawberries should be washed and stemmed prior to consumption.

Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and ripened oranges, can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Grapefruit may be stored at a slightly higher temperature of 50°F.

Melons, such as the honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and watermelon, may be ripened at room temperature for 2, 3, and 7 days, respectively. Store ripe melons in the refrigerator.

Avocados and bananas should be ripened at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Never store unripe bananas in the refrigerator, since cold temperatures will cause the bananas to rapidly darken.

Processed Fruit

Canned fruit and fruit juices may be stored in a cool, dry place below 85°F (optimum 50°F to 70°F) for one year. As with canned vegetables, badly dented, bulging, rusty, or leaky cans should be discarded. Dried fruits have a long shelf-life because moisture has been removed from the product. Unopened dried fruits may be stored for 6 months at room temperature.

Dairy Products

The shelf-life of fluid milk stored in the refrigerator (<40°f)>

Dry milk may be stored at cool temperatures (50°F to 60°F) in airtight containers for one year. Opened containers of dry milk, especially whole milk products, should be stored at cold temperatures to reduce off-flavors. Handle reconstituted milk like fluid milk and store at refrigeration temperatures if not immediately used.

Canned evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk may be stored at room temperature for 12 to 23 months. Refrigerate opened canned milk and consume within 8 to 20 days.

Natural and processed cheese should be kept tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrappers and stored below 40°F. Surface mold growth on hard natural cheese may be removed with a clean knife and discarded. Rewrap cheese to prevent moisture loss. Presence of mold growth in processed cheese, semi-soft cheese, and cottage cheese is an indicator of spoilage and thus these foods should be discarded.

Store commercial ice cream at temperatures below 0°F. Expected shelf-life of commercial ice cream is approximately 2 months before quality diminishes. Immediately return opened ice cream to the freezer to prevent loss of moisture and development of ice crystals. Store ice cream at constant freezer temperatures to slow growth of ice crystals.

Meats, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs

Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs are highly perishable and potentially hazardous due to their high moisture and high protein content. Generally, fresh cuts of meat contain spoilage bacteria on the surface that will grow, produce slime, and cause spoilage after 3 days of refrigerator storage in oxygen-permeable packaging film. Ground meat products are more susceptible to spoilage due to the manufacturing process and increased surface area of the product. Bacteria in ground meats are distributed throughout, providing rapid growth in the presence of air. Ground meats should be stored on the lower shelf of the refrigerator and used within 24 hours of purchase. Refrigerator storage slows bacterial growth; however, the product will eventually spoil. Optimum storage temperature of refrigerated meats, including ground beef, is 33°F to 36°F.

Freezing inhibits the growth of bacteria. Whole cuts of meat may be stored in the freezer ranging from 4 to 12 months, whereas ground meat may be stored for 3 to 4 months. For maximum storage, wrap meats in moisture-proof, gas impermeable packaging to prevent freezer burn.

Cured meats, such as bacon, should be stored in their original packaging in the refrigerator. Cured meats have a tendency to become rancid when exposed to air. Therefore, rewrap cured meats after opening the package. Expect approximately a 1-week shelf-life for cured meats. Vacuum-packaging (absence of air) and modified atmospheric packaging (partial removal of air) extends shelf-life of meats and meat products (i.e. luncheon meats). The shelf-life of vacuum-packaged meats and gas-flushed meats is 14 days and 7 to 12 days, respectively.

Poultry should be prepared within 24 hours of purchase or stored in the freezer. Poultry may be stored in the freezer (0°F) for 12 months. Thaw poultry in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Cook poultry parts (i.e. breast and roast) and whole poultry to an internal temperature of 170°F, and 180°F, respectively. Leftovers stored in the refrigerator should be consumed within 3 days and reheated to 165°F prior to consumption. Poultry broth and gravy should not be stored more than 2 days in the refrigerator and reheated to a full boil (212°F) before consuming.

Fresh fish, shrimp, and crab stored in the refrigerator (slightly above 32°F) should be consumed within 1 to 2 days. Never store fresh fish in water due to leaching of nutrients, flavor, and pigments. Frozen fresh lean fish and seafood (except shrimp) may be stored for 3 to 6 months at 0°F. Shrimp may be stored for 12 months at 0°F.

Eggs should be purchased refrigerated and stored in the refrigerator (33°F to 37°F) in their original carton. Storage of eggs in the original carton reduces absorption of odors and flavors from other foods stored in the refrigerator. Use eggs within 3 to 5 weeks of the "pack date" listed on the carton (1 to 365 representing pack date day within the year). Leftover egg yolks and egg whites may be stored in the refrigerator covered for 2 and 4 days, respectively. Cover egg yolks with water. Hard-boiled eggs may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week, whereas pasteurized liquid eggs may be stored in the refrigerator for 10 days. Egg whites and pasteurized eggs may be stored at freezer temperatures for one year. Shell eggs should never be stored in the freezer. Dried eggs may be stored in tightly closed containers in the refrigerator for one year.

Water

Commercial bottled water has an extended shelf-life of one to two years due to extensive water treatment (filtration, demineralization, and ozonation) and strict environmental controls during manufacturing and packaging. Bottled water should be stored in a cool, dry place in the absence of sunlight. Household tap water has a limited shelf-life of only a few days due to the growth of microorganisms during storage. Therefore, consumers should purchase bottled water if planning to store water for extended periods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates commercial bottled water as a food. For more information on bottled water see VCE publication 356-486, Buying Bottled Water (www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/housing/356-486/356-486.html).

Recommended Food Storage Chart

The following charts provide general recommended storage times from date of purchase for various food products stored under optimum conditions. Storage generally is not recommended under conditions where no time is listed in the chart. For maximum shelf-life, consumers should always purchase fresh food and never temperature abuse food.

Food	Pantry (Room Temperature)	Refrigerator (33°F to 40°F)	Freezer (0°F)
Bread and Cereal Products
Baked quick breads	4-5 days	1-2 weeks	2-3 months
Bread	5-7 days	1-2 weeks	3 months
Bread crumbs and croutons	6 months
Bread rolls, unbaked		2-3 weeks	1 month
Cereals, ready-to-eat	1 year 2-3 months*
Cereals, ready-to-cook	6 months
Corn meal	1 year	18 months	2 years
Doughnuts	4-5 days		3 months
Flour, cake, all-purpose	1 year		1-2 years
Flour, whole wheat		6-8 months	1-2 years
Pasta	2 years
Pies and pastries		3 days	4-6 months
Pies and pastries, baked			1-2 months
Pies and pastries, cream filled		2-3 days	3 months
Pizza		3-4 days	1-2 months
Rice, brown	6 months
Rice, white	1 year	6-7 days+	6 months+
Tacos, enchiladas, and burritos (frozen)		2 weeks	1 year
Waffles		4-5 days	1 month
Packaged Foods and Mixes
Biscuit, brownie, and muffin mixes	9 months
Cakes, prepared	2-4 days		2-3 months
Cake mixes	6-9 months
Casserole mix	9-12 months
Chili powder	6 months
Cookies, packaged	2 months		8-12 months
Crackers, pretzels	3 months
Frosting, canned	3 months
Frosting, mix	8 months
Fruit cake		2-3 months	1 year
Hot roll mix	18 months
Instant breakfast products	6 months
Pancake and piecrust mix	6 months
Pancake waffle batter		1-2 days	3 months
Toaster pastries	3 months
Sauce and gravy mixes	6 months
Soup mixes	1 year
Spices, Herbs, Condiments, Extracts
Catsup, chili, and cocktail sauce	1 year 1 month*	6 months
Herbs	6 months		1-2 years
Herb/spice blends	2 years 1 year *		1-2 years
Mustard	2 years	6-8 months*	8-12 months
Spices, ground	6 months		1-2 years
Spices, whole	1-2 years		2-3 years
Vanilla extract	2 years 1 year*
Other extracts	1 year
Other Food Staples
Bacon bits	4 months
Baking powder	18 months
Baking soda	2 years
Bouillon products	1 year
Carbonated soft drinks (12 oz. cans)	6-9 months
Carbonated soft drinks, diet (12 oz. cans)	3-4 months
Chocolate, premelted	1 year
Chocolate syrup	2 years	6 months*
Chocolate, semisweet	2 years
Chocolate, unsweetened	18 months
Cocoa mixes	8 months
Coconut, shredded	1 year 6 months*	8 months	1 year
Coffee cans	2 years 2 weeks*	2 months	6 months
Coffee, instant	6 months 2 weeks*
Coffee, vacuum-packed	1 year ^
Coffee lighteners (dry)	9 months 6 months*		1 year
Cornstarch	18 months		2 years
Gelatin	18 months
Honey, jams, jellies, and syrup	1 year	6-8 months*
Marshmallows	2-3 months
Marshmallow cream	3-4 months
Mayonnaise	2-3 months	12 months 2 months*
Molasses	2 years
Nuts, shelled	4 months	6 months
Nuts, unshelled	6 months
Nuts, salted			6-8 months
Nuts, unsalted			9-12 months
Oil, salad	3 months^ 2 months*
Parmesan grated cheese	10 months 2 months*
Pasteurized process cheese spread	3 months	3-4 weeks*	4 months
Peanut butter	6 months 2-3 months*
Popcorn	1-2 years	2 years	2-3 years
Pectin	1 year
Salad dressings, bottled	1 year^	3 months*
Soft drinks	3 months
Artificial sweetener	2 years
Sugar, brown	4 months
Sugar, confectioners	18 months
Sugar, granulated	2 years
Tea bags	18 months
Tea, instant	2 years
Vegetable oils	6 months 1-3 months*
Vegetable shortening	3 months	6-9 months
Vinegar	2 years 1 year*
Water, bottled	1-2 years
Whipped topping (dry)	1 year
Yeast, dry	Pkg. exp. date
Vegetables
Asparagus		2-3 days	8 months
Beets		2 weeks
Broccoli		3-5 days
Brussels sprouts		3-5 days
Cabbage		1 week
Carrots		2 weeks
Cauliflower		1 week
Celery		1 week
Corn (husks)		1-2 days	8 months
Cucumbers		1 week
Eggplant		1 week
Green beans		1-2 days	8 months
Green peas		3-5 days	8 months
Lettuce		1 week
Lima beans		3-5 days	8 months
Mushrooms		2 days
Onions	1 week	3-5 days
Onion rings (precooked, frozen)			1 year#
Peppers		1 week
Pickles, canned	1 year	1 month*
Frozen potatoes			8 month
Sweet potatoes	2-3 weeks
White potatoes	2-3 months
Potato chips	1 month
Radishes		2 weeks
Rhubarb		3-5 days
Rutabagas	1 week
Snap beans		1 week
Spinach		5-7 days	8 months
Squash, Summer		3-5 days
Squash, Winter	1 week
Tomatoes		1 week
Turnips		2 weeks
Commercial baby food, jars	1-2 years^	2-3 days
Canned vegetables	1 year^	1-4 days*
Canned vegetables, pickled	1 year^	1-2 months*
Dried vegetables	6 months
Frozen vegetables			8 months
Vegetable soup		3-4 days	3 months
Fruits
Apples	Until ripe	1 month
Apricots	Until ripe	5 days
Avocados	Until ripe	5 days
Bananas	Until ripe	5 days (fully ripe)
Berries	Until ripe	3 days	1 year
Canned fruit	1 year	2-4 days*
Canned fruit juices	1 year	3-4 days*
Cherries	Until ripe	3 days
Citrus fruit	Until ripe	2 weeks
Dried fruit	6 months	2-4 days+
Frozen fruit			1 year
Fruit juice concentrate		6 days	1 year
Fruit pies, baked		2-3 days	8 months
Grapes	Until ripe	5 days
Melons	Until ripe	5 days
Nectarines	Until ripe	5 days
Peaches	Until ripe	5 days	1 year
Pears	Until ripe	5 days	1 year
Pineapple	Until ripe	5-7 days	1 year
Plums	Until ripe	5 days
Dairy Products
Butter		1-2 months	9 months
Buttermilk		2 weeks
Cottage cheese		1 week	3 months
Cream cheese		2 weeks
Cream-light, heavy, half- and-half		3-4 days	1-4 months
Eggnog commercial		3-5 days	6 months
Margarine		4-5 months	12 months
Condensed, evaporated and dry milk	12-23 months^	8-20 days*
Milk		8-20 days
Ice cream and sherbet			2 months
Hard natural cheese (e.g. cheddar, swiss)		3-6 months 4 weeks*	6 months
Hard natural cheese, sliced		2 weeks
Processed cheese		1 month	6 months
Soft cheese (e.g. brie)		1 week	6 months
Pudding		1-2 days*
Snack dips		1 week*
Sour cream		2 weeks
Non-dairy whipped cream, canned		3 months
Real whipped cream, canned		3-4 weeks
Yogurt		2 weeks	1-2 months
Meats, Poultry, Eggs and Fish
Meats
Fresh beef and bison steaks		3-5 days	6-9 months
Fresh beef and bison roasts		3-5 days	9-12 months
Fresh pork chops		2-3 days	4-6 months
Fresh lamb chops		3-5 days	6-8 months
Fresh veal		1-2 days	4-6 months
Fresh ground meat (e.g. beef, bison, veal, lamb)		1 day	3-4 months
Cooked meat		2-3 days	2-3 months
Canned meat	1 year	3-4 days*	3-4 months
Ham, whole		1 week	1-2 months
Ham, canned	1 year	1 week*	3-4 months
Ham, canned "keep refrigerated"		6-9 months 1 week*	3-4 months
Shelf-stable unopened canned meat (e.g. chili, deviled ham, corn beef)	1 year	1week*
Ham, cook before eating		1 week
Ham, fully cooked		2 weeks 1 week*
Ham, dry-cured	1 year	1 month
Ham salad, store prepared or homemade		3-5 days
Bacon		2 weeks 1 week*	1 month
Corned beef, uncooked		5-7 days	1-2 months
Restructured (flaked) meat products			9-12 months
Sausage, fresh		1-2 days	1-2 months
Smoked breakfast sausage links, patties		1 week	2 months
Sausage, smoked (e.g. Mettwurst)		1 week	1-2 months
Sausage, semi-dry (e.g. Summer sausage)		2-3 weeks*	6 months
Sausage, dry smoked (e.g. Pepperoni, jerky, dry Salami)	1 year	1 month*	6 months
Frankfurters, bologna		2 weeks 3-5 days*	1-2 months
Luncheon meat		2 weeks 3-5 days*	1 month
Meat gravies		1-2 days	2-3 months
TV beef and pork dinners			18 months#
Meat based casseroles		3-4 days	4 months
Variety meats (giblets, tongue, liver, heart, etc.)		1-2 days	3-4 months
Vinegar pickled meats (e.g. pickled pigs feet)	1 year^	2 weeks*
Fish
Breaded fish			4-6 months
Canned fish	1 year	1-2 days*
Cooked fish or seafood		3-4 days	3 months
Lean fish (e.g. cod, flounder, haddock)		1-2 days	6 months
Fatty fish (e.g. bluefish, salmon, mackeral)		1-2 days	2-3 months
Dry pickled fish		3-4 weeks
Smoked fish		2 weeks	4-5 weeks
Seafood-clams, crab, lobster in shell		2 days	3 months
Seafood-oysters and scallops		1-2 days	3-4 months
Seafood-shrimp		1-2 days	1 year
Seafood-shucked clams		1-2 days	3-6 months
Tuna salad, store prepared or homemade		3-5 days
Poultry and Eggs
Chicken nuggets or patties		1-2 days
Chicken livers		1-2 days	3 months
Chicken and poultry TV dinners			6 months
Canned poultry^	1 year	1 day*
Cooked poultry		2-3 days	4-6 months
Fresh poultry		1 day	1 year
Frozen poultry parts			6-9 months
Canned poultry		1 day	3 months
Poultry pies, stews, and gravies		1-2 days	6 months
Poultry salads, store prepared or homemade		3-5 days
Poultry stuffing, cooked		3-4 days	1 month
Eggs, in shell		3-5 weeks
Eggs, hard-boiled		1 week
Eggs, pasteurized		10 days 3 days*	1 year
Egg substitute		10 days 3 days*	1 year
Egg yolks (covered in water)		2-4 days	1 year
Egg whites (For each cup of egg yolk add 1 Tbs. of sugar or salt)		2-4 days	1 year
Wild Game
Frog legs		1 day	6-9 months
Game birds		2 days	9 months
Small game (rabbit, squirrel, etc.)		2 days	9-12 months
Venison ground meat		1-2 days	2-3 months
Venison steaks and roasts		3-5 days	9-12 months

* Opened

+ Cooked

^ Refrigerate after opening

# After manufacture date