Cooking with Basic Home Storage: Another rice and bean recipe

Rice and Black Bean Bake

1 15 oz can black beans rinsed
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 8 oz jar picante sauce
2 cups cooked rice
1 8 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a bowl combine first four, stir in rice, sour cream, 1 cup cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered @ 350 for 20 minutes.

Source: http://thecrazyshopper.blogspot.com/2008/07/rice-recipes.html

Water Storage: Do you have enough drinking water?

Do you have the minimum recommended amounts of drinkable water? Remember, this is not for cooking, washing clothes, showering, cleaning or flushing toilets--just drinking and very minimal hygiene like hand washing and teeth brushing.

For a couple you’d need 28 gallons
Family of 4 = 56 gallons (think 55 gallon barrel)
Family of 5 = 70 gallons
Family of 6 = 84 gallons
Family of 7 = 98 gallons
Family of 8 = 112 gallons
Family of 9 = 126 gallons
Family of 10 = 140 Gallons (you might find grown children coming back to roost in an emergency)

Source: http://www.letusprepare.blogspot.com/

Calling for any good food storage recipes

Do you have any good recipes utilizing food storage that will work for everyday? Please share them with us!

Food storage needs to be rotated and the best way to do so is to incorporate it into your family's weekly/monthly menus. If you have a great recipe that uses one or more food storage ingredients, please share it with our readers by adding a comment to this blog entry with the recipe.

Thanks, readers!

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Dried Apple Recipes

Many of you have dried apples from the church's home storage center. I just found some great recipes utilizing them. Enjoy!

Dried apples are an excellent snack right out of the can. To reconstitute, use equal parts of dried apples to boiling water. For example: 2 cups dried apples, 2 cups boiling water. Let stand at least 5 minutes and voila! You have apples!

Applesauce
If you put this mixture through the blender, you will have applesauce. For variety add 3 tbsp. cinnamon heart candy to the mixture before you let it set or try some cinnamon and sugar mixture in it.

Stewed Apples and Raisins
1 c dried apples
Cover with 4 c boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes in a sauce pan.
Add 1 c raisins and simmer until tender. You may wish to sweeten this with brown sugar. This could also be thickened with flour or tapioca and placed in a pie shell.

Dutch Apple Pie
One pie crust

Filling:
2 c dried appples firmly packed
2 c boiling water
Pour over apples and let set for 5 minutes

Mix together:
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. four

Add to the apple mix and continue cooking until thick. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. Pour mixture into pie shell and dot with 1 tbsp. butter.

Topping:
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1/4 c butter

Cut in till crumbly. Sprinkle over the apple mixture and place in 350 degree oven for 55 minutes.

Applet (Candy)
2 1/4 c dried apples, break into small pieces approximately 1/3 inch by 1/3 inch. Do not grate as you don't want to look like applesauce when cooked.

Pour 2 c boiling water over apples and let sit at least 5 minutes in a 2 qt. saucepan.

Add 2 c sugar to this mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Make sure you are stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Boil for 1 minute.

Turn the heat to simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. While this mixture simmer, put 5 tbsp. cold water into a small bwol and add 3 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin. Chop a cup of walnuts and grease a square pan. At the end of the 30 minutes, turn off the heat and add the gelatin to the apple mixture and stir until it is dissolved. Add 1 tbsp. vanilla and the cup of chopped walnuts, stir well and pour into the greased pan. Let cool for 2 hours. Cut into squares, roll in powdered sugar to coat and let set a while before wrapping in plastic wrap. These will store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Apple Filled Cookies
Filling:
Chop or break 2 c dried apples into small pieces. DO NOT RECONSTITUTE as in previous recipes. Place in a saucepan then add:
3/4 c water
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts
1 tbsp flour
Cook together slowly, stir constantly to prevent scorching until thick. Cool dough.

Cream together:
1 c butter
1 3/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c water

Mix well:
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda

Blend in :
3 1/2 c flour (wheat or white)

Drop by by teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a depression in the middle of each drop and place filling in the depression and then place 1/2 tsp. dough on top of filling. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
Cream:
1 c shortening
2 c sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 c applesauce (2 c dried apples, 2 c boiling water, let stand for 5 minutes)

Add and mix well:
2 tsp soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves

Add:
3 1/2 c flour
2 c oatmeal
1 c chopped nuts (optional)
1 c chocolate chips (optional)
1 c raisins (optional)

Mix well and drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes.

Apple Brown Betty
Pour 2 c boiling water over 4 cups dried apples. Let stand at least 5 minutes.

Topping: Mix the following ingredients well:
1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c oatmeal
1/4 c brown sugar
Then cut in 1/4 c butter

Place the apples and liquid remaining in a greased 9 x 9 pan. Sprinkle the topping over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Apple Pie Filling
1 2/3 c dry apple slices
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 c water
2/3 c sugar
2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix all dry ingredients together, then add water and mix well. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. If baking a pie, preheat oven to 425 degrees, place in oven and bake 40 minutes or until golden brwon in pastry shell. (May use peeled and sliced fresh apples--enough to fill pie crust.)

Apple Crisp (with Pie Filling)
Put pie filling in a greased square pan. Mix together:
1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 c butter
1/4 c rolled oats or oatmeal

Mix together thoroughly and spread over pie filling. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Honey Recipes

Orange Banana Milk (serves 4)
1 6 oz. can orange juice concentrate
1 medium banana
3 cups ice water
1/2 c milk (3 tbsp nonfat dry milk to 1/2 c water)
1 tbsp sugar or honey

Put in blender and blend until foamy. Try this nutritious drink for breakfast or as a great summertime snack.

Honey Carrot Cake
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 c honey
1/2 c buttermilk
1 c chopped carrots or reconstituted carrots
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour

Beat eggs. Add oil, honey and buttermilk, mix well. Sift flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and add to egg mixture. Beat until smooth. Add carrots and mix well. Pour into greased 8-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Dry Pack Canning: Preparation directions for selected items

Apple Slices
1 c dry apples to 1/2 c water yields 2 c fresh apples

Beans
Soften beans by adding 3 cups hot water and 2tsp baking soda per cup of beans. Soak overnight, drain, rinse and cook.

Carrots
To rehydrate, use 1 volume carrots to 1 volume ice water. Allow 20 minutes.

Fruit Drink Mix
Add 1 cup drink mix to enough cold water to make 2 quarts. Blend well.

Hot Cocoa
Use 1/4 c mix per 3/4 c hot water, or 1 to 1 1/4 c mix per quart of hot water. Beat or blend until smooth.

Potato Pearls
Add 2 cups hot water (+180 degrees) to 1 cup potato pearls. Stir briefly, cover and allow to stand for 5 too 10 minutes before serving.

Rice, White
Use 2 cups boiling water and 1 tsp salt (optional) per cup rice. Cook covered about 15 minutes or until moist and tender.

Rolled Oats
Use 2 cups water per cup of oats with 1/4 tsp salt (optional). Bring water and salt to boil. Add oats and stir. Cook two minutes, stirring occasionally.

Dry Soup Mix
Add 1 cup dry soup mix to 3 quarts water or meat broth. Add vegetables, meat, or bouillon as desired. Simmer for 45 minutes. Season to taste. Contains: split green peas, alphabets, pearl barley, lentils, rice and onions.

Nonfat Dry Milk
Add 3/4 c nonfat dry milk to 1 quart warm water. Mix well and chill.

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Egg Substitute for use in baking

Egg Substitute (for use in baking)

Before starting recipe for cookies, cake, etc., combine 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin with 3 tbsp. cold water and 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp boiling water. This mixture will substitute for 1 egg in a recipe.

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Using Leavening Agents: Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda

A one year supply of dry yeast, baking powder and baking soda is essential in preparing baked foods. At high altitudes, less leavening is needed.

Below find a recipe to make everlasting yeast with just a small amount of yeast required originally but which will last indefinitely if you keep the start and remake some each time.

Everlasting Yeast

1 quart warm potato water*
1/2 yeast cake or 1/2 tbsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups white or whole wheat flour

Stir all ingredients together. Place mixture in a warm place to rise until ready to mix for baking. Leave a small amount of everlasting yeast as a starter for later use. When not using, keep in a covered jar in refrigerator until a few hours before ready to use again.

Add the same ingredients, except yeast, to the everlasting yeast start for the next baking. By keeping everlasting yeast start and remaking some each time, yeast can be kept on hand indefinitely.

*Strain excess water after boiling potatoes, refrigerate in airtight container.

Financial Preparedness

Recently the First Presidency distributed a letter to be read in sacrament meetings. In the letter, the First Presidency states that “reports of fraud schemes and unwise investments prompt us to again counsel members with respect to prudence in managing one’s financial affairs.” They also wrote that they are “concerned that there are those who use relationships of trust to promote risky or even fraudulent investment and business schemes.”

“We are concerned that some church members ignore the oft-repeated direction to prepare and live within a budget, avoid consumer debt, and to save against a time of need.”

“Consideration should also be given to investing wisely with responsible and established financial institutions. We are also concerned that there are those who use relationships of trust to promote risky or even fraudulent investment and business schemes.”

“While all investments carry an element of risk, that risk can be managed by following sound and proven financial principles: first, avoid unnecessary debt, especially consumer debt; second, before investing, seek advice from a qualified and licensed financial advisor; and third, be wise.”

We have heard this counsel from the brethren over and over again. Now is the time to listen and heed the words of our prophet and his counselors.