I was born late in my parents lives and my mother was the next to the last in her family of 13. I did not get to connect to the older women in my family. My mother suffered from a very serious mental illness so what she knew was lost. My father was an orphan and had no family. I did not have a grandmother that I can remember. I am grateful you do this. I did not have anyone on the road in front of me. I have four daughters and three sons (I wanted a big family so no one would be alone lol). I learn so much from you and am able to teach my kids. Thanksgiving weekend two of my daughters came over and we dehydrated some apples and canned apple sauce and apple pie filling. It was such a joy to be able to share with them what I have learned My first grandchild is 2. She loves to use my apple peeler and “help Grammy.” What you know she will eventually know and what was lost between my grandmother, who was by all reports skilled and very industrious, and my mother will be relearned. Thank you for being willing to teach.
Grace. That is the one word I would use to describe you. You are such a wonderful human being. I love the fact that everything doesn't always work out perfectly and that you always say "but that's all right".
I love cooking stews with this method. Even though I have made two different wonder bag designs, I use a large cooler most of the time. I line the cooler with a cheap wool blanket and wrap around my cast iron dutch oven. It stays piping hot for hours!!
I know Im asking the wrong place but does someone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account? I was dumb lost my login password. I would love any tips you can offer me!
@Cannon Gavin Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im trying it out atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
I have never seen this method of baking bread. What a great idea. My son in law always cuts all the crust off his bread when he makes a sandwich. What a savings this would be - bread that doesn’t have a crust. I love it.
When I was little my grandma would cook "milk rice" or "milk noodles" for me, some of my favorites. She would boil it on the stove and then put the covered pot in the bed, under the down blanket and leave it there for half an hour or hour until done. Delicious!
Every time I see one of your videos I think of the conversation of what constitutes a truly accomplished woman in one of my all time favorite movies, Pride and Prejudice 1940 version; they had no idea! Thank you so much for all your love and concern for all of us.
Julene: Yes, Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier, unfortunately, I have not seen it. (Gone With The Wind, 1939 has nothing on P&P.) I need to get a copy of it. We have seen (several times) and enjoy the 2005 version, Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, and of course Judi Dench. I have to read the book, yet. Thank you for seeing Pam as a truly accomplished woman. I see Pam her way too. Thank you for watching our channel. Jim
Oh my God! Thank you , Thank you . I haven't!, haven't! laughed in days I started laughing as soon as I knew what you were going to do with the beads. (Remember the bean bags? ) I been canning today with your instant pot max video. So when your tired and the laughing starts you just can't stop. Thank you again and may God bless you and your husband.
my mother told me she used to use a featherbed to cook a pot of stew. I used to make 6 loaves of bread at a time using juice cans. We loved the round bread slices. I like the round pans you are using, I will look for some. I love all the great ideas others have posted here. I have an old worn out featherbed that I can turn into a wonderbag.
Oh my goodness this is amazing. I never knew. I watched this with my 17 yr old and we are going to first learn how to bake bread. I use to know how to about 30 years ago but Ive forgotten. Then we are going to make this pillow bread bag and try. What a wonderful peace of knowledge you have passed onto 2 generations. Thank you!
I just recently came across your youtube and I think you are terrific. It crossed my mind that in a pinch I could take my patio furniture 5" cushions and put one under the pot I'm using to cook, a couple around, and one on top. Bungie, duct tape, tie, or velcro them together and I think it might do the trick. In emergency situations we do whatever we need to do to make it work. In the meantime I'll make a wonderbag. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
I have an ebook of "Scouting for Girls" from 1919 and it has instructions for making a "fireless cooker" and an "iceless refrigerator", which are essentially the same as the haybox you described.
For those asking, I did a search on "scouting for girls 1919 ebook" and quickly found the Project Gutenberg replica (it's the 1925 edition). If you go to sections [112] and [113], you'll see the hay box reference and I f9. Here's the charming beginning to those sections: "The Girl Scout will find the answers one at a time, if she does her own work. And if you do your own work you will at once call for a fireless cooker. The name sounds impossible, for you have always cooked with a stove, and, of course, a fire. How can you cook without a fire? The women of Norway taught us how. When they went out to work in the fields or on the farm they took the hot kettle of soup off the stove and hid it away in a hay box. The hay kept the heat in the kettle instead of letting it escape; so the soup kept on cooking, and when the women came home from their work in the fields there it was, all steaming hot and ready for dinner. Everyone has noticed how some things carry or conduct heat and other things don't. That's why we use a "holder," when handling a hot dish or stove lifter or tea-pot. The "holder" does not carry the heat to the hand; it keeps it away. So the hay packed around the hot kettle kept the heat in the kettle, refusing to "conduct" it away. Therefore the soup went on cooking."
Pam, quilt batting is made from several different kinds of material. The most popular is a spun polyester that can be purchased in different thicknesses or lofts from low to high(being the puffiest). But quilt batting is now made from cotton (old school updated), polycotton blends, silk and wool. There are also special battings that are made for potholders that are heat resistant. An old comforter or sleeping bag would make a great re-purposed wonder bag. Another great video.
Thank you. Your demonstrations are simple enough that an inexperienced person (like me) can understand the concepts yet you cover all the important precautions too. Thank you!
Thank you for the great idea!those beads are a force to be reckoned with ..I've found that a spray bottle of water will help alot to stop them in their tracks and you can sweep them up with a broom.i had a bean bag chair explode and I used a spray bottle and got them up.
I watched your video and thought I need to try this as I make no knead bread all the time. I do sew, so sewing a bag wouldn’t be a problem, but then I read a comment about using a cooler instead of making the bag. I tried it and it worked wonderfully. I put a wooden trivet in the cooler than wrapped an old wool army blanket around the pot. I put a towel on top of that, so the cooler was full with very little air space. I left it 3 1/2hrs and the bread was perfectly done. I used 2 straight sided quart canning jars. This is a great way to make bread when you can’t use a stove. The wonder bag looked great, but I already had a cooler. Thanks for the lesson. I love your videos.
I made a weighted blanket pretty much the same way. I used a paper towel cardboard tube to fill the middle sections. I really enjoyed sewing the blanket for a 5 year old with autism. She loves it. She takes it to school with her for nap time.
I already have a weighted blanket that is filled with little glass beads and many sections possibly 7 in by 7 in perception. Do you think that would work in an emergency; since glass conducts heat so well? It already has the little square sections. I guess it's time for me to experiment but a bread Baker I am not...
I've been binge watching your videos since discovering them today. Helpful and delightful! I encountered a 'haybox' cooker at an experimental permaculture farm in Montana. For insulation they were trying sheared sheep wool inside a wooden box on the deck. I dont know how the wool compares w other materials, but I concur that the fullness of the pot matters. I hope you are still finding time to make these videos.
So glad you discovered our videos and that you are enjoying them. Yes, we publish two regular videos per week and have recently started a series we call MicroMoment which are about 5 minute videos on tips and hints related to preparedness. Thanks for your comments.
I totally understand your problems with those beads. My grandson opened a small beanbag item and got the beads ALL over the living room. We were cleaning beads for MONTHS. Under this, inside that, in drawers, bags, boxes, in our hair, just EVERYWHERE! Clinging to everything! My son got a pet hair vacuum for it because the big vac just pushed them around.
I have been baking bread all my life…and I am 75 years old…and have been using my sourdough starters since about 1972, but I have never baked bread like this…great idea! Thanks.
My granddad told me about using ' straw box' when he was in Brussels, WWI. I've used a ice chest with old towels. You can use 'cool bags' in ice chest to keep ice lasting longer.
We've also used the ice chest method during power outages. We used two storage totes. Put the first one down, in between we lined it with old towels and quilts and then put the second tote down, then filled with ice and contents of the fridge and freezer we were trying to save. This worked very well.
I make curtains and purchase this fabric with 4 layers in it... Muslin...a foil like stuff ...batting and then another piece of muslin....that might work well too... Pam...love your sense of humor and you dont even crack a smile..lol... 🤗🙃😄
Wow, this is amazing!!! This is perfect bread for my picky little grandkids, they hate crust, bless their hearts.. lol. The energy that you save is unbelievable. Thank you so much for educating us on this technique. Appreciate you 🙏.
You've made me realize I already have a STEAMED cake and STEAMED bread (rice flour / celiac + plus I can't use yeast - but I use baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes add yogurt to leaven) that are pretty good. Those steamed recipes would convert to this type of retained heat cooking very well! How exciting. This is very empowering knowing I could cook something for myself when the power availability might be poor. Thank you for this wonderful idea. (I created the recipes from scratch. I use my rice cooker with a steamer basket to cook them. My steamed cake and steamed bread do not brown either - but you can play with the recipe ingredients to maximize the taste. Not having the brown factor removes some flavor one might expect from traditional baked items. So play with brown sugar for example instead of white in a cake, or spice if you tolerate them, I use milk as the liquid for body and flavor. Mine are made in very small portions - like half a pint to a pint bowls and ramekins. Rice flour products tend to be best if eaten in a day or two max so make small frequently.) THANK YOU! PS: I just realized - a person might need to be careful carrying the batter that has started to rise ... it could fall if jostled too much ... so be careful putting the items into place for cooking)
Beads are static so i place the bag in a "funnel type" opening, wipe down with a bit of fabric softener and it works pretty well... No flyaways of the beads....
I see many folks seem to miss the golden crust, in our home with younger children this would be a total win! Crust less bread for kids pb&j. Think of the time and waste I'd save 😃I'm sold!
What a great idea to make your own. The first time I had heard of that idea it was from a woman who brought beans up to a rolling boil for about 20 minutes, lined a laundry basket with a sleeping bag, put the pot of beans in. She then covered it with the rest of the sleeping bag and left it for a day. It worked. But I think it be nice not to have to unroll my sleeping bag every time I wanted to cook something. I think your solution is a really good one. But I think I’ll go to fiberfill. I know that they have high loft quilt batting and I think that would be a really good choice. Any down alternative should be just great. As soon as you showed those Styrofoam beads I started giggling. Back in the early 80s beanbag chairs were huge. I decided in my wisdom that I could make one for cheaper. We had carpeting in our house and I believe three years later when we sold that house there were still Styrofoam beads hiding in that stupid carpet. Those beads are like aliens with a life of their own. You did an incredibly good job of corralling those things and not cussing at them. I believe we used three big bags of them - it was a huge beanbag. When my son wanted one, I said absolutely no way. He bought them for his daughters and they had a pillow fight. Now he knows why I said no way!🤣
Wow!! This was awsome.!! I never ever seen this before. This is soo kool. I was amazed. I must try this. I dont mind round bread. No crusts. I make different shapes with cookie cutters at times. Glad you put this up.
I am excited to try this for all the wrong reasons. All I could see was those uncrustables! Perfectly round, crustless pb&j. Thank you so much for this video!
This is wonderful! Thank you for showing how to use the Wonder Bag (earlier video) and thermal cooking. I have had a Wonder Bag for a couple years now, but never got the foods to cook quite right. I will start experimenting with it again!
How fun! Your excited face was a pleasure to see. I imagined that you used a tripod for filming (I don't know why) but when Jim spoke it startled me! Hahaha you come up with marvelous ideas.
Thank you for posting this one man wonder bag , I ended up wearing mine out and it was a great big one I live alone now and I need a smaller one really enjoy this video
Such an interesting video. Thanks for showing this. I will need to watch all the videos around this one to get what it is all about. I have used a similar concept but for keeping stuff cold when the power goes off for short times. We have rolling power cuts across the city for load sharing in the summer months. I would just throw the sliced rounds into a frying pan with a bit of butter and put a yummy crust on it. Really enjoyed this thought provoking video. Brain whirring with ideas.
Thank you for the video! I had to laugh when you were filling the pillow case- reminded me of trying to fill my buckwheat hull mattress topper 😂- it took forever.
"Laugh is good like a medicine!" This is from an unknown author to me, but my mother used to say it all the time! It is so true, even in these difficult times!
Excellent experiment 😉. I would not mind the crustless bread nor the whiteness of it. It would be great to be able to make bread so easily. I watch from Puerto Rico, and I survived Hurricane Maria which was truly tough for about four months without power🙏. This would have worked great because the heat was practically unbearable for cooking indoors, so definitely I will be trying to sew a wonderbag soon as we are now in hurricane season again. Thanks for all your efforts to teach us. You are simply great to watch❤️
Thank you so very much for these video's! You make everything sound easy, while many channels seem to deliberately make things as complex as possible! I learning so much and getting prepared, while hoping I never have to use my new knowledge or tools!
Very good idea to make your own wonder bag . I think thinsulate would work. It’s a fabric my father in law got for me to use as batting in a quilt for him.
I had an old down comforter that I didn’t use anymore, but didn’t want to get rid of it. I finally tossed it- one of those things that you don’t need till you get rid of it.
Pam, this would be great in a grid down situation. But when the grid is up, I am going to be lazy and use my dehydrator as a proofing box. Just remove most of the shelves, put the bottom one up a shelf level of one or two spaces, pre-heat the dehydrator to 95-100 degrees farenheit, place your proofed and shaped loaves in the dehydrator and check after 30 to 45 minutes they will be ready to bake. I have used this technique for years. And like you I have some older equipment my Harvest Maid dehydrators are circa 1950-60's and I use both of them frequently. Purchased from the thrift store over 20 years ago and still going strong.
I wonder if a highly rated sleeping bag for cold weather might work you know one of those kind of quilted ones PS I think you and your husband are such wonderful people you just do such wonderful instructional informational videos you're such a blessing to all of us thank you for all that you do to both of you
I have a Saratoga Jack Thermal Cooker that operates under the same principles. It came with 2 nesting pans so I can cook stew in the bottom and rice in the top. For bread pans I use empty spaghetti sauce tin cans that fit down inside the pot perfectly. But I don't like cooking in tin. I will look in to the pans you are using and see if they will fit. The Saratoga Jack is great because it is so portable. It holds the heat in well and has a handle so you can throw it in your car and when you arrive at your destination your food is cooked and ready to eat. And everything is sealed so tightly that you don't have to worry about spills.
Felted wool perhaps? Cotton batting that is used for stuffing toys? Sand, however, you’d have to use duck cloth so the sand didn’t work through the weave.
These look amazing. I will have to try these out. EDIT: Here in the south, we have a process of cooking country hams called "Putting the pig to sleep" or "Putting it to bed". Basically the same process, only with a whole ham.
My two oldest sons had bean bags when they were young, and being the curious boys that they were, they opened one up to see what it was made of - - I chased little balls all over this house for what seemed like months ... what a mess!!
That bread looks totally fine, and really reminds me of Czech knedlicky, which I've made in the long ago past to look like that on purpose. They are soooo good with any meal that has gravy! (For sopping purposes.)
If you freeze the beads first, it will cut the static electricity and you will be able to handle the beads better. I have made a down jacket and had a problems with the tiny feathers doing the same thing....feathers everywhere! The freezer was a great help!
Hi Pam, I bought used comforters at Goodwill a couple of years ago to cover my rabbit cages when it's too cold. I'm thinking those would work by lining a cooler and putting the pan down in that....all cozy. I might even use 2 comforters. I'm going to see if I have a pot big enough for a loaf pan. Thank you for this brilliant idea!
Hello, I just came across this video, I'm a quilter. There is a product called insulbrite batting for use in pot holders or food carriers. I was thinking a layer of this with a few layers of quilt batting on the outside would be great at holding in the heat. I also bake bread. Super video. Also loving your videos on soup in bags and other storage ideas.
I have never heard of a Wonder Bag. Perfect bread to make for children! Never met a child who liked the crust. Thank You for the info. I'm a newbie to your channel and love it. I'm not going anywhere. I'm all yours. LOL!
Girl! You had me rolling with laughter when talking about those Styrofoam beads! Thank you for the entertainment. I am going to try this. I love your videos. You and your hubby make a great team.
Dutchhomestead on TH-cam also made bread in her haybox but she used a small heavy pot inside a larger pot so it came out like a little rounded loaf. Can't wait to build my own haybox.
I was born late in my parents lives and my mother was the next to the last in her family of 13. I did not get to connect to the older women in my family. My mother suffered from a very serious mental illness so what she knew was lost. My father was an orphan and had no family. I did not have a grandmother that I can remember. I am grateful you do this. I did not have anyone on the road in front of me. I have four daughters and three sons (I wanted a big family so no one would be alone lol). I learn so much from you and am able to teach my kids. Thanksgiving weekend two of my daughters came over and we dehydrated some apples and canned apple sauce and apple pie filling. It was such a joy to be able to share with them what I have learned
My first grandchild is 2. She loves to use my apple peeler and “help Grammy.” What you know she will eventually know and what was lost between my grandmother, who was by all reports skilled and very industrious, and my mother will be relearned. Thank you for being willing to teach.
I am so thrilled that you are able to pass down your skills and knowledge to future generations. You are amazing!
Grace. That is the one word I would use to describe you. You are such a wonderful human being. I love the fact that everything doesn't always work out perfectly and that you always say "but that's all right".
I love cooking stews with this method. Even though I have made two different wonder bag designs, I use a large cooler most of the time. I line the cooler with a cheap wool blanket and wrap around my cast iron dutch oven. It stays piping hot for hours!!
That is like the old-time hay boxes! Thanks for sharing!
I know Im asking the wrong place but does someone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account?
I was dumb lost my login password. I would love any tips you can offer me!
@Cannon Gavin Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im trying it out atm.
Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Cannon Gavin it worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my account :D
@Kaden Hunter glad I could help xD
I have never seen this method of baking bread. What a great idea. My son in law always cuts all the crust off his bread when he makes a sandwich. What a savings this would be - bread that doesn’t have a crust. I love it.
When I was little my grandma would cook "milk rice" or "milk noodles" for me, some of my favorites. She would boil it on the stove and then put the covered pot in the bed, under the down blanket and leave it there for half an hour or hour until done. Delicious!
Seems like a good way to also have a nice warm bed to climb into!
Every time I see one of your videos I think of the conversation of what constitutes a truly accomplished woman in one of my all time favorite movies, Pride and Prejudice 1940 version; they had no idea! Thank you so much for all your love and concern for all of us.
Julene: Yes, Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier, unfortunately, I have not seen it. (Gone With The Wind, 1939 has nothing on P&P.) I need to get a copy of it. We have seen (several times) and enjoy the 2005 version, Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, and of course Judi Dench. I have to read the book, yet. Thank you for seeing Pam as a truly accomplished woman. I see Pam her way too. Thank you for watching our channel. Jim
Old people CAN learn new tricks! At 81, I discovered Wonder Bags. Thank you.
Yes we can! Excellent!
You are such a blessing to us! Thank you!
You are so kind. Thank you for watching.
You are always an amazing teacher. thank you for making all the videos and teaching us….
You are always giving woman more wisdom and knowledge
Wow, thank you!
Oh my God! Thank you , Thank you . I haven't!, haven't! laughed in days I started laughing as soon as I knew what you were going to do with the beads. (Remember the bean bags? ) I been canning today with your instant pot max video. So when your tired and the laughing starts you just can't stop. Thank you again and may God bless you and your husband.
Glad you enjoyed it! You made me laugh as well!
my mother told me she used to use a featherbed to cook a pot of stew. I used to make 6 loaves of bread at a time using juice cans. We loved the round bread slices. I like the round pans you are using, I will look for some. I love all the great ideas others have posted here. I have an old worn out featherbed that I can turn into a wonderbag.
You are a superstar scientist for the kitchen and prepping. You’re my professor of food safety, preservation, and design
Wow, thank you! I appreciate that.
The little round loaves remind me of milk loaves in the UK, and no crust is just perfect for kids who don’t like it! Thanks for another great video
Oh my goodness this is amazing. I never knew. I watched this with my 17 yr old and we are going to first learn how to bake bread. I use to know how to about 30 years ago but Ive forgotten. Then we are going to make this pillow bread bag and try. What a wonderful peace of knowledge you have passed onto 2 generations. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful!
Knowledge is never lost, just misplaced! It is our job to relocate it!
I live on a sailboat in the West Indies at anchor, this video is brilliant, thank you.
You are very welcome. I am glad it was helpful!
I just recently came across your youtube and I think you are terrific. It crossed my mind that in a pinch I could take my patio furniture 5" cushions and put one under the pot I'm using to cook, a couple around, and one on top. Bungie, duct tape, tie, or velcro them together and I think it might do the trick. In emergency situations we do whatever we need to do to make it work. In the meantime I'll make a wonderbag. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
I have an ebook of "Scouting for Girls" from 1919 and it has instructions for making a "fireless cooker" and an "iceless refrigerator", which are essentially the same as the haybox you described.
is there a way you can share that information for a fireless cooker and iceless refrigerator
@Sabrina Wharton-Brown, what a great find. I would love a photo, of those pages.
For those asking, I did a search on "scouting for girls 1919 ebook" and quickly found the Project Gutenberg replica (it's the 1925 edition). If you go to sections [112] and [113], you'll see the hay box reference and I f9.
Here's the charming beginning to those sections:
"The Girl Scout will find the answers one at a time, if she does her own work. And if you do your own work you will at once call for a fireless cooker. The name sounds impossible, for you have always cooked with a stove, and, of course, a fire. How can you cook without a fire?
The women of Norway taught us how. When they went out to work in the fields or on the farm they took the hot kettle of soup off the stove and hid it away in a hay box. The hay kept the heat in the kettle instead of letting it escape; so the soup kept on cooking, and when the women came home from their work in the fields there it was, all steaming hot and ready for dinner.
Everyone has noticed how some things carry or conduct heat and other things don't. That's why we use a "holder," when handling a hot dish or stove lifter or tea-pot. The "holder" does not carry the heat to the hand; it keeps it away. So the hay packed around the hot kettle kept the heat in the kettle, refusing to "conduct" it away. Therefore the soup went on cooking."
@@debbiebrugman4543see my response to Sabrina's post.
@@catherineharrison3701see my response to Sabrina's post.
Pam, quilt batting is made from several different kinds of material. The most popular is a spun polyester that can be purchased in different thicknesses or lofts from low to high(being the puffiest). But quilt batting is now made from cotton (old school updated), polycotton blends, silk and wool. There are also special battings that are made for potholders that are heat resistant. An old comforter or sleeping bag would make a great re-purposed wonder bag. Another great video.
Oh my goodness! I found myself holding my breath when you told us not to breathe 🙂. Your videos are wonderful!
Thank you. Your demonstrations are simple enough that an inexperienced person (like me) can understand the concepts yet you cover all the important precautions too. Thank you!
Karen: You're very welcome! Jim
Thank you for the great idea!those beads are a force to be reckoned with ..I've found that a spray bottle of water will help alot to stop them in their tracks and you can sweep them up with a broom.i had a bean bag chair explode and I used a spray bottle and got them up.
You never cease to amaze me!
Awesome,great to know we can have bread off grid ! Thank you ,lm learning a wealth of important skills from you.Youre the best. !!!🎉
So nice of you, Jim
My grandmother made Boston brown bread steamed in juice cans. I loved it so much when I was a kid.
I watched your video and thought I need to try this as I make no knead bread all the time. I do sew, so sewing a bag wouldn’t be a problem, but then I read a comment about using a cooler instead of making the bag. I tried it and it worked wonderfully. I put a wooden trivet in the cooler than wrapped an old wool army blanket around the pot. I put a towel on top of that, so the cooler was full with very little air space. I left it 3 1/2hrs and the bread was perfectly done. I used 2 straight sided quart canning jars. This is a great way to make bread when you can’t use a stove. The wonder bag looked great, but I already had a cooler. Thanks for the lesson. I love your videos.
Thanks. And yes--that was a great idea.
My oven element has been down.. God Bless you all ❤
I made a weighted blanket pretty much the same way. I used a paper towel cardboard tube to fill the middle sections. I really enjoyed sewing the blanket for a 5 year old with autism. She loves it. She takes it to school with her for nap time.
What a kind thing to do!
I already have a weighted blanket that is filled with little glass beads and many sections possibly 7 in by 7 in perception. Do you think that would work in an emergency; since glass conducts heat so well? It already has the little square sections. I guess it's time for me to experiment but a bread Baker I am not...
I've been binge watching your videos since discovering them today. Helpful and delightful! I encountered a 'haybox' cooker at an experimental permaculture farm in Montana. For insulation they were trying sheared sheep wool inside a wooden box on the deck. I dont know how the wool compares w other materials, but I concur that the fullness of the pot matters. I hope you are still finding time to make these videos.
So glad you discovered our videos and that you are enjoying them. Yes, we publish two regular videos per week and have recently started a series we call MicroMoment which are about 5 minute videos on tips and hints related to preparedness. Thanks for your comments.
I totally understand your problems with those beads. My grandson opened a small beanbag item and got the beads ALL over the living room. We were cleaning beads for MONTHS. Under this, inside that, in drawers, bags, boxes, in our hair, just EVERYWHERE! Clinging to everything! My son got a pet hair vacuum for it because the big vac just pushed them around.
Oh wow! Thanks for sharing.
I have been baking bread all my life…and I am 75 years old…and have been using my sourdough starters since about 1972, but I have never baked bread like this…great idea! Thanks.
Wonderful! Thanks.
My granddad told me about using ' straw box' when he was in Brussels, WWI. I've used a ice chest with old towels. You can use 'cool bags' in ice chest to keep ice lasting longer.
Thanks for sharing.
We've also used the ice chest method during power outages. We used two storage totes. Put the first one down, in between we lined it with old towels and quilts and then put the second tote down, then filled with ice and contents of the fridge and freezer we were trying to save. This worked very well.
I make curtains and purchase this fabric with 4 layers in it...
Muslin...a foil like stuff ...batting and then another piece of muslin....that might work well too...
Pam...love your sense of humor and you dont even crack a smile..lol...
🤗🙃😄
Wow, this is amazing!!! This is perfect bread for my picky little grandkids, they hate crust, bless their hearts.. lol. The energy that you save is unbelievable. Thank you so much for educating us on this technique.
Appreciate you 🙏.
“They look anemic.” - Brought a big 😄 ~ You’re fun! They look yummy anyway! Thanks for sharing this with us !
You've made me realize I already have a STEAMED cake and STEAMED bread (rice flour / celiac + plus I can't use yeast - but I use baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes add yogurt to leaven) that are pretty good. Those steamed recipes would convert to this type of retained heat cooking very well! How exciting. This is very empowering knowing I could cook something for myself when the power availability might be poor. Thank you for this wonderful idea. (I created the recipes from scratch. I use my rice cooker with a steamer basket to cook them. My steamed cake and steamed bread do not brown either - but you can play with the recipe ingredients to maximize the taste. Not having the brown factor removes some flavor one might expect from traditional baked items. So play with brown sugar for example instead of white in a cake, or spice if you tolerate them, I use milk as the liquid for body and flavor. Mine are made in very small portions - like half a pint to a pint bowls and ramekins. Rice flour products tend to be best if eaten in a day or two max so make small frequently.) THANK YOU! PS: I just realized - a person might need to be careful carrying the batter that has started to rise ... it could fall if jostled too much ... so be careful putting the items into place for cooking)
I would Love to see more recipes with this method. Other types of foods.
We are doing a video soon on these "thermal cookers" and I will be testing 4 different ones to see which work better.
I’m 62. . .who knew I’d be in home-ec again! Lol. Love your videos👏👏
Beads are static so i place the bag in a "funnel type" opening, wipe down with a bit of fabric softener and it works pretty well... No flyaways of the beads....
Love that idea! Thanks for watching.
Genius!!
I was so hoping you would demonstrate making a wonder bag. And your presentation was quite entertaining. I just love your program!
Thank you so much!
This is one of my favorite of your videos. Your personality comes out, especially when you’re talking about the styrofoam beads. Quite fun.
I am so thankful for you and your dedication to teaching us the correct way to cook, can etc. Much love 🙏❤️❤️🙏
I see many folks seem to miss the golden crust, in our home with younger children this would be a total win! Crust less bread for kids pb&j. Think of the time and waste I'd save 😃I'm sold!
LOL! Love it. Thanks for your comment.
Fantastic video!!! Love that you made your own WonderBag!!! And beside looking "crustless" your bread has a very nice crumb!!!
Thank you. It tasted pretty good too. The paleness was a little hard to adjust to!
Fascinating! I knew about hay boxes but just never put 2 & 2 together! Ingenious. Thanks for sharing.
What a great idea to make your own. The first time I had heard of that idea it was from a woman who brought beans up to a rolling boil for about 20 minutes, lined a laundry basket with a sleeping bag, put the pot of beans in. She then covered it with the rest of the sleeping bag and left it for a day. It worked. But I think it be nice not to have to unroll my sleeping bag every time I wanted to cook something. I think your solution is a really good one. But I think I’ll go to fiberfill. I know that they have high loft quilt batting and I think that would be a really good choice. Any down alternative should be just great.
As soon as you showed those Styrofoam beads I started giggling. Back in the early 80s beanbag chairs were huge. I decided in my wisdom that I could make one for cheaper. We had carpeting in our house and I believe three years later when we sold that house there were still Styrofoam beads hiding in that stupid carpet. Those beads are like aliens with a life of their own. You did an incredibly good job of corralling those things and not cussing at them.
I believe we used three big bags of them - it was a huge beanbag. When my son wanted one, I said absolutely no way. He bought them for his daughters and they had a pillow fight. Now he knows why I said no way!🤣
Wow!! This was awsome.!! I never ever seen this before. This is soo kool. I was amazed. I must try this. I dont mind round bread. No crusts. I make different shapes with cookie cutters at times. Glad you put this up.
I am excited to try this for all the wrong reasons. All I could see was those uncrustables! Perfectly round, crustless pb&j. Thank you so much for this video!
LOL! They are very nice! Thank you.
Wow, I love the science behind everything! You explain it so a regular person can understand it.
rochelle: Glad to hear it! Jim
This looks great! Warm and fresh bread is exactly the kind of comfort food needed during a blackout. Thanks!
I totally agree! Thanks for watching.
That is so cool! I've been looking for an alternate way to make bread and other things without having to invest in a sun oven/solar oven. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
you can buy a crockpot. it's cheap and saves energy.
This is wonderful! Thank you for showing how to use the Wonder Bag (earlier video) and thermal cooking. I have had a Wonder Bag for a couple years now, but never got the foods to cook quite right. I will start experimenting with it again!
You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!
Thank you. I have never seen that done. The demonstration was very interesting and great to know with the upcoming depression we are expecting.
Sharon: Let us knw how the Wonder bag works for you. Jim
I use 2 old sleeping bags 🎒, 2 old pillows for top and bottom and silver blankets for inside. work great, lowest cost.
Wow! You r the definition of articulate!
Watching this and all I can think is, " No cutting off the crusts for the kid's sandwiches!" Thanks for a wonderful video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
How fun! Your excited face was a pleasure to see. I imagined that you used a tripod for filming (I don't know why) but when Jim spoke it startled me! Hahaha you come up with marvelous ideas.
Thanks. Jim works the camera so he can follow the action. I think he does great! thanks for watching.
This is the first time I've heard of this method!🤯the possibilities are endless! Power out? No worries, I'll bake bread!
LOL! Glad it was useful.
Thank you for posting this one man wonder bag , I ended up wearing mine out and it was a great big one I live alone now and I need a smaller one really enjoy this video
So glad it was useful for you! thanks for your comments.
Such an interesting video. Thanks for showing this. I will need to watch all the videos around this one to get what it is all about. I have used a similar concept but for keeping stuff cold when the power goes off for short times. We have rolling power cuts across the city for load sharing in the summer months.
I would just throw the sliced rounds into a frying pan with a bit of butter and put a yummy crust on it. Really enjoyed this thought provoking video. Brain whirring with ideas.
Thank you for the video! I had to laugh when you were filling the pillow case- reminded me of trying to fill my buckwheat hull mattress topper 😂- it took forever.
You are so welcome! You made me laugh!
"Laugh is good like a medicine!" This is from an unknown author to me, but my mother used to say it all the time! It is so true, even in these difficult times!
Buckwheat hull mattress topper???? I have pillows, telle more!
Excellent experiment 😉. I would not mind the crustless bread nor the whiteness of it. It would be great to be able to make bread so easily. I watch from Puerto Rico, and I survived Hurricane Maria which was truly tough for about four months without power🙏. This would have worked great because the heat was practically unbearable for cooking indoors, so definitely I will be trying to sew a wonderbag soon as we are now in hurricane season again. Thanks for all your efforts to teach us. You are simply great to watch❤️
Thank you. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be without electricity for four months.
This is exciting to learn! Thank you!
A brilliant lady.
Thanks!
This is really cool idea. I'm going to have to learn how to make bread. Thank you for all you do.
You are very welcome.
Thank you so very much for these video's! You make everything sound easy, while many channels seem to deliberately make things as complex as possible! I learning so much and getting prepared, while hoping I never have to use my new knowledge or tools!
You're very welcome! And I agree with hoping we never have the kind of emergency that would have us using these skills.
I bake bread in pint wide mouth jars, for tea sandwiches, in the crockpot. They are always a hit.
Sounds very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Very good idea to make your own wonder bag . I think thinsulate would work. It’s a fabric my father in law got for me to use as batting in a quilt for him.
I think that is a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
I had an old down comforter that I didn’t use anymore, but didn’t want to get rid of it. I finally tossed it- one of those things that you don’t need till you get rid of it.
Pam, this would be great in a grid down situation. But when the grid is up, I am going to be lazy and use my dehydrator as a proofing box. Just remove most of the shelves, put the bottom one up a shelf level of one or two spaces, pre-heat the dehydrator to 95-100 degrees farenheit, place your proofed and shaped loaves in the dehydrator and check after 30 to 45 minutes they will be ready to bake. I have used this technique for years. And like you I have some older equipment my Harvest Maid dehydrators are circa 1950-60's and I use both of them frequently. Purchased from the thrift store over 20 years ago and still going strong.
I would think Corn Bread would be a winner in these tins.
I think you are right! Great idea.
Mari: No reason why not. Jim
Love your channel! What a wealth of information!
Thanks so much!
I wonder if a highly rated sleeping bag for cold weather might work you know one of those kind of quilted ones PS I think you and your husband are such wonderful people you just do such wonderful instructional informational videos you're such a blessing to all of us thank you for all that you do to both of you
I have a Saratoga Jack Thermal Cooker that operates under the same principles. It came with 2 nesting pans so I can cook stew in the bottom and rice in the top. For bread pans I use empty spaghetti sauce tin cans that fit down inside the pot perfectly. But I don't like cooking in tin. I will look in to the pans you are using and see if they will fit.
The Saratoga Jack is great because it is so portable. It holds the heat in well and has a handle so you can throw it in your car and when you arrive at your destination your food is cooked and ready to eat. And everything is sealed so tightly that you don't have to worry about spills.
I have the same setup. Love it!
@@crazyaboutcards I was just going to suggest this as well. I to love my jack cooker
Thank you for your time and sharing your know how. It's much appreciated! .
Glad it was helpful!
Felted wool perhaps? Cotton batting that is used for stuffing toys? Sand, however, you’d have to use duck cloth so the sand didn’t work through the weave.
Yes, there are several alternatives you can use.
These look amazing. I will have to try these out. EDIT: Here in the south, we have a process of cooking country hams called
"Putting the pig to sleep" or "Putting it to bed". Basically the same process, only with a whole ham.
Interesting...thanks for sharing!
Interesting...thanks for sharing!
My two oldest sons had bean bags when they were young, and being the curious boys that they were, they opened one up to see what it was made of - - I chased little balls all over this house for what seemed like months ... what a mess!!
LOL! I raised four sons (and two daughters) so I know exactly what you mean! Thanks for your comments.
That bread looks totally fine, and really reminds me of Czech knedlicky, which I've made in the long ago past to look like that on purpose. They are soooo good with any meal that has gravy! (For sopping purposes.)
Thank you.
You could if desperate for a crusty loaf, brown in the oven at the end. Still less power so win win. I've loved this video. Thank you
Great idea! I will try that next time. Thanks for watching.
What an amazing concept. I e never heard of it. Thank you for sharing this. Mind blown ..
Thanks for watching our channel.
I feel like I know you. Terrific video. I'm going to make one a wonder bag and try this. Thank you for sharing.
jj: Glad it was helpful! Let us know how it works out. Jim
I have never heard of this method b4. So thx u, this is a very good thing to know how to do
My father was a baker by trade. Sometimes they baked bread in gallon cans for special orders. They looked so interesting and fun.
Catching up on some videos. One of these would be a good use for the crappy pillow I just bought.
LOL!
How amazing. You are so much fun to be with. I hate that I did not find your channel sooner. I have a whole lot of catching up to do. Thank you.
Wow how wonderfull is that. Thankyou so much for sharing. I wonder if a winter duvet would do the same job
If you freeze the beads first, it will cut the static electricity and you will be able to handle the beads better. I have made a down jacket and had a problems with the tiny feathers doing the same thing....feathers everywhere! The freezer was a great help!
Thanks for the tips! If I ever work with those beads again, I will do that!
I have a huge supply of quilt batting on rolls and scraps so I think I will try that when I am making quilts.
Great idea!
Hi Pam, I bought used comforters at Goodwill a couple of years ago to cover my rabbit cages when it's too cold. I'm thinking those would work by lining a cooler and putting the pan down in that....all cozy. I might even use 2 comforters. I'm going to see if I have a pot big enough for a loaf pan. Thank you for this brilliant idea!
This is genius and exactly what I needed!!
Thanks for Sharing. I like the Hay Box idea.
You are so welcome! Yes, this idea has been around for a long time. Thanks for watching.
This is FANTASTIC! Thank you!
adrianamil3: You're very welcome! Jim
I love it. How about adding large Velcro strips instead of bungee cords?
Hello, I just came across this video, I'm a quilter. There is a product called insulbrite batting for use in pot holders or food carriers. I was thinking a layer of this with a few layers of quilt batting on the outside would be great at holding in the heat. I also bake bread. Super video. Also loving your videos on soup in bags and other storage ideas.
I have never heard of a Wonder Bag. Perfect bread to make for children! Never met a child who liked the crust. Thank You for the info. I'm a newbie to your channel and love it. I'm not going anywhere. I'm all yours. LOL!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching our channel.
Your videos are so informative and entertaining! I always learn something new. Thank you!
You are very welcome.
Definitely and absolutely brilliant! This entire video is so up my self-reliant alley! Much thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks.
You are so funny. Love watching you and learning from you. Thank you.
We appreciate your comments.
Thanks rose ..great video....
You’re welcome 😊
Girl! You had me rolling with laughter when talking about those Styrofoam beads! Thank you for the entertainment. I am going to try this. I love your videos. You and your hubby make a great team.
Dutchhomestead on TH-cam also made bread in her haybox but she used a small heavy pot inside a larger pot so it came out like a little rounded loaf. Can't wait to build my own haybox.