Statewide Tornado Drill

The State of Kansas will hold a tornado drill today at 130pm central time.

Tornado Sirens are for outdoor warning only.

When my mother moved here from California in '77, she had no idea that tornado sirens were tested every Monday a 12 noon. The first time she heard them, she thought they were air raid sirens, and panicked. If took the neighbor with the bomb shelter to calm her down. So those of you new to our State welcome! And it is only a test.

Also APN and the State Networks have join up on People String. A program like Facebook, but pays you for using it.

Ks Real ID

The state of Kansas shall protect the privacy of its citizens when handling any written, digital or electronic data and shall not participate in any standardized identification
system using driver’s license and nondriver’s identification card records.

Awwwwww Kansas!

HB2727 is yet another step that our Great State is taking toward sovereignty. This 1 1/2 page bill throws Real ID in the face of the federal government.

This bill is to be voted on in the next few days. Tell your rep what you think about it.

HB2727 pdf

Find your legislator

Storm Spotter Meetings

On APN today I have a post about Kansas Severe Weather Awareness Week, and prepping for tornado season.

If you are interested in Becoming a Storm Spotter, here is a list of classes taking place here in Kansas, and a few for Co, OK, and NE;

March 9:

Wichita, NW High School, 7 pm

Hoxie, Bowen Scout House, 6:30 pm

Ulysses, Fair Grounds, 7 pm

Mankato, County Courthouse, 6:30 pm

March 10:

Hill City, Frontier Stage, 6:30 pm

Syracuse, High School, 6:30 pm Mountain

Phillipsburg, Fire Station, 6:30 pm

Marion, High School Auditorium, 6:30 pm

March 11:

Newton, Chisholm Middle School, 6:30 pm

Eastborough City Building, 7 pm

El Dorado, Civic Center, 6:30 pm

Colby, Community Building, 6:30 pm

Dighton, Courthouse Community Room, 7 pm

Smith Center, Courthouse, 6:30 pm

March 15:

Kechi City Hall, 7 pm

McPherson, Community Building, 6:30 pm

Scott City, EMS Building, 7 pm

Benkelman, NE, High School Learning Room, 6:30 pm Mountain

March 16:

Hutchinson, Fire Training Facility, 6:30 pm

Clearwater Fire Station, 7 pm

Yuma, CO, Ambulance Building, 6:30 pm Mountain

Larned, JA Hass Building, 7 p.m.

Ponca City, OK, Clubhouse, 7 p.m.

March 17:

Viola City Building, 7 p.m.

Cimarron, Library, 7 p.m.

March 18:

Derby Police Department, 7 p.m.

McCook, NE, Senior Center, 6:30 p.m.

Kinsley, 4-H Building, 7 p.m.

March 19:

Sharon Springs, CAB Building, 6:30 pm Mountain

March 22:

Leoti, Firehouse, 6:30 p.m.

Liberal, Fairgrounds Activity Center, 7 p.m.

March 23:

Andale City Hall, 7 p.m.

Hugoton, EMS Training Center, 7 p.m.

Russell, Dream Theatre, 6:30 p.m.

Cheyenne Well, CO, City Complex, 6:30 pm Mountain

March 24:

Jetmore, King Center, 7 p.m.

Oaklawn Community Center, 7 p.m.

Grainfield, 4-H Building, 6:30 p.m.

March 25:

Oakley, Courthouse Basement, 6:30 p.m.

Greensburg, Location TBA, 7 p.m.

Great Bend, Crest Theater, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

March 29:

Sublette, Location TBA, 7 p.m.

Beloit, North Central Kansas Tech Student Union, 6:30 p.m.

March 30:

Stratton, CO, St Catherine Catholic Hall, 6:30 p.m. Mountain

Maize City Hall, 7 p.m.

LaCrosse, County Extension, 7 p.m.

March 31:

Pratt, Community Center, 7 p.m.

Palisade, NE, Legion Auxiliary Building, 6:30 p.m.

April 1:

Minneola, Civic Center, 7 p.m.

April 5:

Garden Plain Senior Center, 7 p.m.

Holyrood, Fire Station, 6:30 p.m.

St. John, Courthouse Annex Building, 7 p.m.

April 6:

Cheney City Hall, 7 p.m.

Meade, Fire Station, 7 p.m.

Kingman, Hospital, 3 p.m.

Cunningham, Community Center, 7 p.m.

April 7:

Ashland, Community Center, 7 p.m.

April 8:

Sedgwick Community Center, 7 p.m.

April 15:

Bel Aire City Building, 7 p.m.

April 22:

Elkhart, Location TBA, 7 p.m.

Homemade Ravioli

Mushroom ravioli in a light Alfredo sauce

This dish can be made with all Kansas grown ingredients.

Pasta dough:
2 cups flour (about 350 grams)
2 large whole eggs

Filling:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons for boiling water { I will be using sunflower oil to keep it local}
6 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnishing


Sauce
2 cups Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
4 Tbsp Butter

To prepare the mixture by hand, place the flour on a clean counter top or rolling board and make a well in the center.

Break the eggs into the well and using a fork, beat the eggs, gently drawing in flour from the sides. Continue dragging flour into the center well, stirring the ingredients together until the dough begins to form a mass.

Begin kneading the pasta, first sprinkling the surface with flour. Knead until the egg has become well incorporated.

If the pasta is too dry or crumbly, spray with a little lukewarm water. When the right texture has been reached, form a ball and leave to rest under an inverted bowl for 10-15 minutes. The heavy your flour is the more water you will need.

Using a knife slice a small part of the dough away from the ball. If you do not have a pasta machine you will need to use a rolling pin to flatten the dough as thin as possible. I can not find the handle to mine, so this will take awhile.

Make sure your surface is floored, as well as your pin. Cut shapes out with a knife or cookie cutter.

In a large saute pan heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When almost smoking, add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms, { 6 minutes}. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and place mixture into a food processor. Pulse until you get a coarse texture. Stir in cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. taste for seasoning and set aside.

Line up your wrappers or pasta dough shapes. Brush with the egg and water mixture. Using a tablespoon, dollop the filling on each wrapper Place another wrapper directly on top, pressing around the filling and sealing the edges. Using a fork, flute the edges. Place ravioli onto a floured baking sheet and keep covered with a linen towel. Set aside.

boil your pasta 20-30 minutes


Over low heat, melt butter in a skillet. Stir in whipping cream and blend well. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until sauce thickens. Do not boil. Thicken sauce with more cheese, or thin with more cream. The Alfredo sauce should generally be very creamy.


Drain the pasta, plate, and pour the sauce over top. Serve hot.

Rustic Country Bread

I have posted over on American Preppers Network about how to make Rustic Country Bread.

enjoy!

good place to pick things up

If you live in Kansas, Yoder, is a great place to pick some of your hand cranked needs up.

The hardware store, has all different sorts of items, that you can get for less then internet browsing. Of course if you live 3 hours away from there, look more local first.

They also have a Bulk food store, where I found some things that I wasn't able to in Wichita.

Plants you should know; Cup Plant

This plant grows 4-7 feet in height. In August, it goes into bloom.



You can chew on the root to sweeten your breath.

Steep the root for a long time, making a tea. This as used by Native Americans to help with intermittent fevers, internal bruises, ulcers and liver affections. It is a stimulant and an antispasmodic. The tea is also claimed to help with enlarged spleen.

Always talk to your doctor before using herbal remedies.