Because Dessert is the Best Thing Food Storage Ever Created!

I promised.

I know I did.

I promised that I would finish out our amazing Food Storage 101 series with some seriously amazing recipes for using that food storage for dessert, didn't I?

So here it is.

Do you love chocolate?

(I have you covered)

Do you love fruit based desserts?

Yep, its in here.

How about cakes and cookies and puddings?

Yep, its here.

So, just like all the others, remember this list is meant to be used for your food storage, and when you have a time when you need to use it, there is absolutely NO REASON that food storage has to be boring, or restricted to rice and beans. Get the basics, learn how to use them, and run with it.

It has been a wonderful journey sharing all this with you. I want you to know you have encouraged me, interested me, sparked my imagination quite a few times, and more than anything, made me realize how many people need to learn these skills and have a place to start. 

For those of you have have never read my very first series, Making Do Without Missing a Thing, I want to encourage you to read it. My newest book, slated to come out the end of this month, includes not only all of this, but many many more recipes and ideas on how to learn to use things from your pantry and make meals for your family. Of course, it also includes certain hacks that teach you to use things in non-food ways as well, but more about that later!

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

For those of you following along in the Attitude of Gratitude this month, I wanted to share that today I am most thankful for the ability to have this platform. I am thankful for the words the Lord gives me to write, and the ways in which He uses them to reach so many folks out there who need to know how to use them. It is an every day blessing to come on here and read your comments, and stories.

15 Desserts That Are the Icing on

 Your Food Storage Cake:

Peach or other fruit Cobbler: Greased 8x8 pan, can of fruit, drain liquid into bowl, place fruit in bottom of baking pan. Mix liquid with the following: 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup shortening or 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon or apple pie spice. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes until brown around the edges.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake: (you can use my basic cake recipe mix from the Master Mix Way instead of a box, of course)

Fruit Cocktail Cake: same idea as the Pineapple cake, but delete the coconut, and maraschino cherries, and just mix the cake mix and fruit cocktail together then bake. This is especially thrilling when made into cupcakes for kids. :)

Chocolate Chip cookies:  using my Cookies Master Mix of course....

Oatmeal Raisin and Gingersnap Cookies: Check the comments for more variations!

Super Soft Sugar Cookies: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter or Butter flavored Shortening, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 eggs. Mix well, shape into small balls, roll balls in sugar, then press flat on non-greased baking sheet with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes at 350*. They will not look brown around edges, but will be done. Remove immediately to cooling rack, and let cool a bit. Best simple cookies ever. We sometimes roll them in cinnamon sugar instead and make mock Snickerdoodles as well for a change for the kids.

Toffee Bars (yeah, see that picture above? THOSE are AMAZING)

Black Bean Brownies: fudgy, chocolately, and totally NO BEANY TASTE. You have to try these.

Cinnamon Blondies: Add 1 Tbs Cinnamon to the recipe linked.

Muffin Breads: Let's talk about options like Chocolate Coconut or Cinnamon Walnut to start with...

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies: use canned pumpkin and a can of vanilla frosting for the filling, treated with a tsp of nutmeg

Cinnamon or Caramel Rolls: plus lots of other variations

Canned Fruit Trifles: Use two cans of fruit, such as peaches or fruit cocktail (pineapple is pretty elegant too). Use this recipe to make your cake. Cube the cake once cool. Use this recipe to make mock whipped topping. Layer cake, then fruit, then topping until you run out of all of them. Sprinkle with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. No one will EVER KNOW you made it from food storage. Seriously.

Creamy Peanut Butter Refrigerator Pie: Yes please. Super easy, super good. Use the mock whipped topping for the whipped cream. Exchange the cream cheese for evaporated milk or a box of cheesecake pudding that has only had half the milk added (which of course you can use dry milk to make up). Best. Pie. Ever. Your family will ask for it again, I promise.

Fruit Popsicles: 1 can evaporated milk + 1 can fruit, juice included. Add a little sugar if needed, and freeze in popsicle molds, muffin tins with sticks in them, or dixie cups you can tear off when frozen. Super Simple, and very popular. We call them Smoothie Pops around here. :)

Hot Cereal Muffins: you can take this link and add up to 1 cup leftover hot cereal to the muffin batter instead of flour, and 1/4 cup of the liquid. We do this all the time with Oatmeal or MaltoMeal, and it makes for a very moist and healthy muffin that sticks with the kids for a snack.

Blessings to you and yours, 

Heather