Author: Allyson

  • Prepping – Failure

    Prepping – Failure

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    Allyson
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    On Wednesday, I went to the Fort to do some interpreting for a home schooling group. I always love when I have homeschoolers in, because they ask the BEST questions. This group was a fantastic one, and it included a bunch of kids who were very obviously not normal students but who nonetheless were engaged…

  • FBEL: Judgmental Cookbooks

    FBEL: Judgmental Cookbooks

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    Allyson
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    I belong to several writer’s groups on Facebook, partly because I like to connect with other authors and partly to hear about new opportunities when they come by. One of the groups I belong to is run by a very successful cookbook author (who I’m not at liberty to talk about in public, as the…

  • The Weekly Feast – Buran

    The Weekly Feast – Buran

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    Allyson
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    A Middle Eastern, medieval recipe for meatballs in an eggplant yogurt sauce. Take eggplant, and boil lightly in water and salt, then take out and dry for an hour. Fry this in fresh sesame oil until cooked; peel, put into a dish or a large cup, and beat well with a ladle, until it becomes…

  • Prepping – RTE Meals

    Prepping – RTE Meals

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    Allyson
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    When I prep, I store a variety of types of meals. I have a lot of rice and beans, as I can make those into dozens of different meals with very different spice pallets. There’s one type of meal that I do store at least a few of, for emergencies. That’s RTE, or Ready To…

  • FBEL – Conservative Women

    FBEL – Conservative Women

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    Allyson
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    So I’ve just gotten home from the Fort, where I stayed for a whole week. One week with minimal running water (cold only, from a single slow tap in the staff kitchen, which I had to then carry to where I was cooking/cleaning/etc). One week with minimal electricity (I could charge my phone at night,…

  • The Weekly Feast – Tourtière!

    The Weekly Feast – Tourtière!

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    Allyson
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    Tourtière is one of those iconic dishes that gets served in Northern areas. While it hales originally from France, it was popularized in Quebec, Canada. Early settlers made Tourtière frequently, and it’s a filling and very tasty pie. I don’t normally like French Canadian stuff, but Tourtière and Poutine are acceptable. Ingredients: pie crust 2…

  • Prepping – Practice Makes Perfect

    Prepping – Practice Makes Perfect

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    Allyson
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    I know I harp on about practicing all the time, but it is THAT important. I do that on a fairly regular basis, more and more so as I pick up events as an author. When I go to an event, I’m cooking over an open flame at the very least, and sometimes living on…

  • FBEL – Clickbait Headlines

    FBEL – Clickbait Headlines

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    Allyson
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    I’m up at the fort from today until next Wednesday, so I’m writing up some canned words for you, to tide you all over ’til I’m home again. Of course if you want to come visit me at the Fort this weekend (it’s open Friday through Monday because of the holiday), I’d be pleased to…

  • The Weekly Feast – Orange Cake

    The Weekly Feast – Orange Cake

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    Allyson
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    I wanted to make a birthday cake for my vegan friend, and that meant no milk, no butter, and no eggs. I decided to search for vegan alternatives, and came up with several awesome looking ones. As a side note, chocolate is easy to make vegan. However, I didn’t have the ingredients for most of…

  • Prepping – Food Security

    Prepping – Food Security

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    Allyson
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    We are a rich people, here in America. Even our poorest has enough food (or could if they applied). We just don’t see people in the US starving. It doesn’t happen. There are no swollen bellies here. That doesn’t mean people aren’t hungry. As someone who’s lived on food stamps and charity at one point,…