Testing Prep Items

mushrooms

Are the dried mushrooms made here?  I am having a hard time finding any that aren't made in China.

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by: DebP @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 at 12:49:29 PM UTC

Mushrooms

The mushrooms are Tone's brand, a U.S. company. The mushrooms are sliced. Doesn't say anything about being a product of China. I looked at their web site and it indicates that some of their spices come from India and Indonesia, but I'd think the mushrooms are U.S. since it doesn't say otherwise on the label.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 at 14:33:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Have you tried the dried onion?

I get the large containers, they store well and work great.  Much easier really than dehydrating your own, especially since the cost is pretty low.  I will have to get the mushrooms now and give them a try!

I have a bunch of Honeyville products.  Their 6 grain hot cereal, smoothie mixes, and hot cocoa are all favorites here.  The freeze dried corn is pretty good too, we took it on a camping trip and it tasted like frozen corn does when cooked.  

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by: deborah @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 17:26:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

dried chopped onion is da bomb LOL!

I buy that stuff in those large bottles two and three at a time.  I just don't have the time or tolerance for chopping fresh onion.  And my husband and oldest two kids much have the most sensitive noses known to man as they complain for days afterward that the house smells like onion.  Using the dried chopped stuff saves us all some major hassles.  LOL!


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 18:58:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dried Onions

I haven't tried the dried onions yet. Think I'll pick some up this week.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 01:56:53 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I couldn't find any today

I looked and looked in our local Sam's and no joy, I guess all stores don't carry the mushrooms.  sniffle, sob

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by: deborah @ Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 23:20:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Mushrooms

The freeze dried mushrooms were near the bulk spices at our Sam's Club. I admit I haven't been at the store in a little while, and when I checked my local store, they don't have them anymore. I've sent an e-mail to Tone's asking whether they've discontinued the product.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 01:53:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tone's Response

Heres the response I got from Tone's:

"Sam's Club has discontinued stocking the Freeze Dried Mushrooms.

However, we do continue to produce that item. This is usually sold for institutional use and is only available via mail order from Diversified Distributing. For additional information, Diversified Distributing can
be contacted at 1-877-453-1638, OR see complete ordering instructions at our website: http://www.spiceadvice.com/pro...  

The website for Diversified Distributing is
http://www.yourfoodstore.com/c...

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by: tjclaw1 @ Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 22:39:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I called them

The price is $6.18 per 1.5 ounce jar.  They no longer carry the bigger quantity size now that Sam's no longer carries them.  There is no limit on the amount you can order, but the price seems high to me.  I wish I had seen them when Sam's still carried them, I would have purchased a few containers.

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by: deborah @ Tue Feb 19, 2008 at 19:15:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I get shitake

mushrooms dried at costco but I order dried button mushrooms from here
http://www.harmonyhousefoods.c...
Their dehydrated veggies are really good. No affiliation with the company.

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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by: mojo @ Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 04:30:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Mushrooms

Do you know where the button mushrooms come from? Are they U.S., or some other country?

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by: tjclaw1 @ Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 21:59:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Mushrooms

Emergency Essentials carries freeze-dried mushrooms and I just got an e-mail that they're on sale:
http://beprepared.com/product....

I've not tried them so I can't make a recommendation.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 21:44:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

More tests

I lost the tail end of a box of Bisquick but was able to get it to rise again by adding a little bit of leavening.

I need to rotate the Bisquick faster.  I have been so busy testing other recipes that I kind of left off using as much as I had in the past ... hence the slower than expected rotation.

And the "large" boxes of Bisquick are now about half the size but the same price as they were a year ago which means I'm going to have to buy more boxes than I expected. Not good.

Had weevils get into one bottle of chili powder so now I'm having to go through all most spices and seasonings to check out if I've had any other losses.  I hope all I have lost will be time spent check.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 at 17:36:29 PM UTC

flour spoilage

KathyinFL:

Suggest that you consider storing wheat and a grinder for your preps and stock leavening separately.  I find that works much better.  You can use box mixes for short-term, but not have useability issues.  The big plus is fresh-ground wheat flour is SO much better tasting....

KEEP THE GRID UP!
Prudent People Prepare Properly

"better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!"

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by: LMWatBullRun @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 00:27:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

re: grains

I may buy some whole wheat but its not cheap here in the deep south and shipping is frankly a bear.

I want to get some dried corn ... probably dent so that I can save some for replanting since it is open pollinated.  That should be cheaper and someone mentioned they saw some at a local feed store.  Now to find out if it has been treated or not.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 03:44:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

buying bulk grain

The best I have found so far is Walton Feed.  It's a ways from Idaho to West Virginia, too.  What I found was that the best way for us to get grain was by the pallet, and go pick it up at the freight yard with the trailer.

THey sell wheat by the bag or in pails;  they also have dent corn and about anything else you can think of. You may have to grit your teeth to pay for a pallet (which is 48 superpails, IIRC) but that's about 2300 pounds of wheat which will feed your family for a long time  (if you have seven that'd do for over a year.)  I am really wishing I had gotten more when I did- the prices have doubled in the last year, and I am thinking of buying more now.

As far as shipping is concerned, they'll put you on the list for a pool truck, or ship whole pallets by motor freight, or even ship individual buckets by UPS, but we found the best balance between timeliness and cost was whole pallets by freight.  I tried to get some interest among friends and coworkers for a group buy last fall, but no takers so I am going to make another purchase this spring with just my group.  

It might be interesting to see whether we could get a group buy organized here, but I suspect that most folks here are weither already prepped so they don't need such quantities or not interested, so I am not sure there'd be any interest.

KEEP THE GRID UP!
Prudent People Prepare Properly

"better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!"

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by: LMWatBullRun @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 14:51:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Grains

I ordered some wheat grain from Honeyville last week and a grain mill to attach to my Kitchenaid mixer. I'll have to get a hand crank mill eventually, but want to try it out first. The shipping is always cheap at Honeyville.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 02:16:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Cheese and butter

Interesting, we liked both the canned cheese and butter items. I think the butter has a sronger taste than what we're used to here in the US. I wasn't sure about the cheese at first. I think I was expecting more of an 'American cheese" flavor and was a little surprised by the slight cheddar tang . I like cheddar- so I'm fine with it- it makes good mac & cheese when you blend it with your other cheeses you would usually use. We liked it on Ritz crackers. Haven't tried it on a cold deli meat sandwich but I think it would work on something grilled, like grilled pastrami & cheese w/ onions and spicey mustard- Oh My- I'm getting hungry!!!

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by: cinda @ Sat Feb 09, 2008 at 17:53:13 PM UTC

Frozen Comfort food test

I have love Girl Scout thin mint cookies. Last year I thought they would be a good item to freeze for a special treat prep item.  I popped 2 boxes in a freezer bag and placed in the big freezer.   Girl Scouts are selling cookies again so I am rotating the frozen boxes out.  Opened the box and I could not even tell they were a year old.  I only buy 2 boxes a year because of the cost so I will buy my 2 boxes and pop them in the freezer.  

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by: NC Seeking @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 03:34:00 AM UTC

Girl Scout cookie preps

Oh yeah.  I have three girls selling cookies this year.  Oldest will graduate so from here on out the most I'll have to buy from is two at a time.  ROFL!!

They have a sugar free cookie in our area this year and I want to see how they freeze and hold out.  I've found with sugar free stuff that even with freezing they quickly start tasting like cardboard.

In fact I've stopped prepping any sugar free items except for a sugar-free chocolate sauce that my dad would live on if he could.  (Wish we had a rolling eyes smiley.)

I do have two large bags of Splenda ... one name brand Splenda and one a store brand version with the exact same ingredients.  I also have some single serving sizes that can work with Kool-Aide packets.  I'll probably hang on to that and give the rest of my sugar-free stuff to a food pantry ... I just can't eat artificial sweeteners anymore.  They tear my stomach up something fierce.  Found that out while doing some prep testing last year.

Thanks for starting this thread up again.  There are quite a few things that I need to pull out and start testing again.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 03:42:59 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

sugar free

 We think most sugar free stuff taste like cardboard!  We are not prepping any sugar fee items either.  However we do try and limit the number of sweet stuff we eat but sometimes you just have to have it!  We do not eat enough sugar to keep it rotated like I would like, so I am always checking the sugar preps.... So far so good  

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by: NC Seeking @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 01:42:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Rotate sugar?

FWIW, sugar seems to be one of very, very few items here (UK) that does not have to have a best before date - because it doesn't go off, ever.
http://www.silverspoon.co.uk/h...
So no need to rotate it. You do obviously want to keep it away from moisture, and from rodents!

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by: Mathematician @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 20:17:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sugar

I knew sugar does not go bad, I just want to use everything I prep and sugar is one of those tings we do not use a lot of.  thanks

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by: NC Seeking @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 21:15:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Frozen Cheese

I just took out 2 blocks of kaft cheddar cheese that have been in the freezer for 1.5 years.  It was crumbly and had a little stronger taste.  However one block did well in a casserole dish we made tonight and I expect the other block will be ok in the Mac & Cheese tomorrow.  I left them in the original packing and then vac packed in a freezer bag.  

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by: NC Seeking @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 01:24:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Shredded cheese does well also.

But Parmesean doesn't grate as well after it's thawed. It tastes fine though. Cream cheese is crystaly when thawed so while it tastes fine, it's not very asthetically appealing-however, it is much easier to cook with - not as sticky.

Without realizing it at first, we have been doing a preps test of our own. Actually, it's a test of my ability to make do with what I decided to stock. Doing well so far.

For the past month and a half, in an effort to save some $$ quick, we've completely cut out eating out. Haven't gone out, even for coffee on the weekends. And husband is taking his lunch each day. After about a week I decided to go the full route and only use what I had in the house to make meals so I haven't shopped either. We've saved at least $600.00, probably more.

Course then the car had to be repaired- so thats where that savings went. But we intend to keep it up for another 6 weeks. I'm getting back into the swing of meal planning. Course I'm kicking myself now for being so lazy so many nights and dropping 20.00 for pizza or grinders and a beer because " I don't feel like cooking" but.... hindsight is always 20/20 right. Hopefully I'll start another 6 week run after this one.

Kathy, your 30 day meal plan is what really got me to do this and stick to it. I don't cook all the same things but reading over it gives me ideas of what to make with what I know I have. I'm using many of the recipes that you and others posted on the FW in the past though. You are the best thing since sliced bread, a real treasure and I'm so glad we have you to inspire us.

This exercise is cleaning out the freezer, which needs to be defrosted anyway, and it's using up some canned things that needed to be rotated.

Provided the car doesn't need repairs again in 6 weeks and we don't get the "Oh Shit" e-mail notification, I'll have saved enough $$ to replace most of what I've used, without going over budget. Unfortunately at a higher retail than I paid a year or 2 ago - but it had to happen some time.

I will have to buy milk, bread, ice cream and beer before another 6 weeks is out. I haven't gotten the knack of bread yet and no way is husband drinking instant milk while there's still real, or in my case frozen, real milk, to be had. Icecream is good to keep husband content. He's really doing well with this and is very supportive and will eat anything I put in front of him. But he does love his icecream so while we can.... And well- beer is just a necessity. BTW, it stays nice and cold in our basement cold closet that husband built last year.

If I can stay on course into the next 6 weeks after this though, I'll be into the real making-do scenario. By then I'll be out of frozen "helpers" (Trader Joes stuff) and frozen veggies from my garden last year and probably all of the red meat. It will get to be a real challange. More FW recipes to the rescue!!  

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by: cinda @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 18:55:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Congrats Cinda!

And glad that my own exercises/preps are helping other folks.  Group effort means everyone's load is lighter.

We've been eating a lot of soups lately, mostly to help rotate out some canned goods and pastas, etc. but I'm amazed at how filling our meals still are.  

The other thing I started was a cup of broth as a first course, then a small main course, followed by a light dessert every couple of nights has also helped us save some money.  It was weird for my family at first.  We usually just sit down and have a one course or one pot type meal.  

I've got to unload my grapefruit tree before all the fruit falls and gets wasted.  I'll be having a lot of grapefruit for breafkast for the next couple of weeks.  The other thing I need to do is juice the white grapefruit and get it canned and cut the Ruby Reds into sections and can them.

And if I can find someone will to let me glean their tangerine trees I'll can up some ruby and tangerine juice.  That's my favorite.

Hmmm.  What we do to save a little money.  LOL!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 19:06:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

YUMMMMM-fresh grapefruit

Thats really a lot of work isn't it? Canning grapefruit? Don't you have to take ALL the "skin" off each section before you can can it? How many grapefruits do you need to have to make a batch? And you just water bath it right? Can you mix red and white in the same batch? Do you use a light syrup?

Tangerine-red grapefruit juice sounds delicious.

Are you adding anything to the broth to snaz it up? What brand? Or is it your own homemade stock?

Have you ever warmed up canned peaches or pears to go as a "side". Like a relish, just a spoonful to add color and variety. Pears are good steeped in cranberry juice for a bit- makes them colorful. (Grama said you have to have 4 colors on your plate - thats where I struggle with 1 pot meals!!)

Husband has been having hot soup in a thermos a few days a week with his sandwich and we have it with lunch on the weekends. I used to use all Progresso but lately we're finding the Campbells Chunky or Select soups are more filling and tastier. It's time to make up a batch of Italian Sausage soup from my homecanned sausage that I put up in the spring...while I still have some froz bell peppers to put in. I'll post how that comes out.

While I'm on the subject of canned meat- I had done up some roast pork loin to try out. The 1st time I used it, just a couple weeks after I canned it, it was fine and tasted good. I opened one a few weeks back and it was fine, but didn't really have that pork taste. I used the drippings, there were a lot and they were very intensly pork flavored, and some water w/ a bit of salt to can it in. It smelled like pork, but didn't taste like it. And interestingly, since it's been in liquid, it was dry. Any thoughts on that? For now I think I'll just shred the last jar and mix it w/ BBQ sauce for lunch. That goes well in the thermos too.

I'm going to run out of frozen deli meats for sandwiches soon. Got any suggestions to make canned tuna or chicken less boring, but still brown-bagable?

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by: cinda @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 20:10:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ROFL!!! Let me see if I can answer all of the qusetions

Thats really a lot of work isn't it? Canning grapefruit? Don't you have to take ALL the "skin" off each section before you can can it? How many grapefruits do you need to have to make a batch? And you just water bath it right? Can you mix red and white in the same batch? Do you use a light syrup?

Canning grapefruit is no worse than anything else I guess.  I'm used to peeling the suckers.  The diff is that you need to remove all, or most, of the rind and white pith off the sections or you get a bitter flavor.

The juice I can the same way you can any juice.  The sections are canned using a light syrup.  I think the Ball Blue book is where I got my directions from.

You can mix any juices as long as they are 100% juice.  Its best not to can with the watered down stuff you sometimes get from the grocery.

Are you adding anything to the broth to snaz it up? What brand? Or is it your own homemade stock?

I sometimes make my own stock and sometimes use store brand.  Depends on how poor I am at the time.  Homemade stock isn't cheap to make.  The soups are really easy "throw together" type recipes.  A lot of them are up over in the "soups diary."

Have you ever warmed up canned peaches or pears to go as a "side". Like a relish, just a spoonful to add color and variety. Pears are good steeped in cranberry juice for a bit- makes them colorful. (Grama said you have to have 4 colors on your plate - thats where I struggle with 1 pot meals!!)

Husband has been having hot soup in a thermos a few days a week with his sandwich and we have it with lunch on the weekends. I used to use all Progresso but lately we're finding the Campbells Chunky or Select soups are more filling and tastier. It's time to make up a batch of Italian Sausage soup from my homecanned sausage that I put up in the spring...while I still have some froz bell peppers to put in. I'll post how that comes out.

While I'm on the subject of canned meat- I had done up some roast pork loin to try out. The 1st time I used it, just a couple weeks after I canned it, it was fine and tasted good. I opened one a few weeks back and it was fine, but didn't really have that pork taste. I used the drippings, there were a lot and they were very intensly pork flavored, and some water w/ a bit of salt to can it in. It smelled like pork, but didn't taste like it. And interestingly, since it's been in liquid, it was dry. Any thoughts on that? For now I think I'll just shred the last jar and mix it w/ BBQ sauce for lunch. That goes well in the thermos too.

I'm going to run out of frozen deli meats for sandwiches soon. Got any suggestions to make canned tuna or chicken less boring, but still brown-bagable?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 21:27:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Snot, hit post before I meant to so I'll finish it out here

Have you ever warmed up canned peaches or pears to go as a "side". Like a relish, just a spoonful to add color and variety. Pears are good steeped in cranberry juice for a bit- makes them colorful. (Grama said you have to have 4 colors on your plate - thats where I struggle with 1 pot meals!!)

I grew up eating a lot of pork and venison.  Fruit is a common side dish for that stuff.  I fry apples or bake them.  I broil grapefuit for breakfast sometimes.  I make fruit salsa to go over chicken breast or as a side to a beef dish.  

While I'm on the subject of canned meat- I had done up some roast pork loin to try out. The 1st time I used it, just a couple weeks after I canned it, it was fine and tasted good. I opened one a few weeks back and it was fine, but didn't really have that pork taste. I used the drippings, there were a lot and they were very intensly pork flavored, and some water w/ a bit of salt to can it in. It smelled like pork, but didn't taste like it. And interestingly, since it's been in liquid, it was dry. Any thoughts on that? For now I think I'll just shred the last jar and mix it w/ BBQ sauce for lunch. That goes well in the thermos too.

Might be an "over cooking" issue.  You know, how sometimes you cook a nice piece of meat but it comes out all dry.  I try and season my pork before I can it, but you have to be careful or I can pretty much assure you the flavors will get too intense the longer it sits on the shelf.  Shredding dry pork is a really good way to use it up ... or dump a lot of gravy on it.

I'm going to run out of frozen deli meats for sandwiches soon. Got any suggestions to make canned tuna or chicken less boring, but still brown-bagable?

Use canned meats to dress up your pasta salads.  There is a lot of different ways to make tuna salad.  I add hard boiled eggs and sweet relish to mine but I have a friend that add shredded cheddar or small cubes of Velveeta.  Same with chicken.  Add green grapes to you chicken salad and you get a nice sweet crunch.  The bread you serve it on could also make a difference.  How about tuna with Russian black bread?  Chicken salad with a slice of swiss cheese on rye or pumpernickel?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 21:34:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

SNOT-- Ha Ha Now I'M the one ROTFL

OK I'll bite, I've never heard of broiled grapefruit. But it sounds really neat. What do I have to do to make it. It can't be as easy as just slicing Grapefruit and putting it under the broiler. Can it?

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by: cinda @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 00:33:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Cinda ... yeah it is

Cut it in half ... sprinkle with a little brown sugar.  Broil.  Ta da!!!  LOL!


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 02:36:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Keep us updated

I sure do learn a lot from those.  I hope to do something like this in the summer

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by: NC Seeking @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 21:18:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

avoiding thread creep

I have posted a separate diary on putting together a bulk prep purchase from Walton's.


KEEP THE GRID UP!
Prudent People Prepare Properly

"better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!"

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by: LMWatBullRun @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 18:06:21 PM UTC

I opened

some velveeta that was six months over the expiry date and it was light brown in color. This is weird because it used to last forever. I am hoping it was just an abberation.

And tootsie rolls do not store well which is a bummer.

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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by: mojo @ Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 03:49:48 AM UTC

Old Velveta

I had some "off" brand cheese that also turned dark in color, but smelled ok. I threw it in a crock pot with two cans of Ro-Tel Tomatoes to make chili con queso, and it tasted fine - nobody got sick, so I think it just turned dark with age. I had also sealed it with my seal-a-meal.

I might mention a prep-experiment-gone-bad. I used my seal-a-meal for raisins. They got as hard as a brick and were grainy. Not good for plain eating, but when I cooked them with oatmeal or in muffins, they reconstituted and tasted fine.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 02:02:53 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Testing out homemade mixes

I enjoy making dry mixes ahead of time (as my own convenience food).  I'm much more likely to make a large batch of soup if all I have to do is open a jar, add some canned tomatoes and some broth.  My favorites are mixes for soups, muffins and pilafs.

Most of the mixes have turned out fine, but I've learned never to include brown sugar in a baking mix.  If you pack the mix into a glass jar, the brown sugar becomes a brick and has to be chipped out of the jar.  If you seal the brown sugar in its own plastic bag and then put everything in the jar, you'll have a plastic-wrapped brick that has to be peeled before being chipped out.  I've tried vacuum sealing the mix in a bag, and it still needs a sledge hammer to break it up.  
My solution so far has been either to omit the brown sugar and add it when I use the mix, or substitute white sugar which forms small clumps but not bricks.

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by: AlohaOR @ Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 02:20:51 AM UTC

Rice Pilaf

AlohaOR- what kind of rice do you use to make the pilaf mix? In fact, what is in a pilaf mix. And do you put the rice in with the seasonongs? or just measure out how much you need for a meal and them mix in the mix?

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by: cinda @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 00:43:42 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Pilaf mixes

I use "pilaf" generally to mean an entree where a grain is the primary ingredient.  

You can find a "universal" pilaf recipe (very adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand) on page 8 of ACM's Bare Basics Cook Plan (http://66.236.6.202/downloads/BareBasicsCookPlan.pdf).

Here are some of my favorites:

Orzo & Rice Pilaf Mix (serves 4)

Ingredients (can be mixed ahead of time & stored in a pint jar):
3/4 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup instant brown rice
3 Tablespoons dried vegetable flakes*
2 teaspoons dry bouillon (I use Vegebase)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Directions: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups water, 1 Tablespoon butter or oil, and jar contents.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until orzo is tender.

Option add-ins:  Toasted nuts; cooked meat; cooked garbanzo beans; dried (and reconstituted), canned or frozen peas, carrots or corn; sauteed onions and garlic; other fresh herbs, etc.

*This is sold in bulk in my grocery store as "Vegetable soup mix", and contains only the dried vegetables (no salt or seasonings).

Fruited Couscous Mix (Serves 4 as a side dish)

Ingredients (can be mixed ahead of time and stored in a pint jar):
1 cup dry couscous
1/2 cup dried fruit (I like 1/2 cranberries & 1/2 currants)
2 Tablespoons dried vegetable flakes
1 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dry bouillon (I use Vegebase)
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Directions: In a saucepan, combine 1-1/2 cups water, 1 Tablespoon butter or oil, and jar contents.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, remove from heat and let stand about 5-10 minutes.

Option add-ins:  Toasted nuts; cooked meat; cooked garbanzo beans; dried (and reconstituted), canned or frozen peas, carrots or corn; sauteed onions and garlic; other fresh herbs, etc.

With a can of garbanzo beans and some toasted nuts, this makes a very quick entree for 3.

Cranberry Bulghur Pilaf (serves 4)
(This is from the Moosewood Simple Suppers cookbook; I haven't yet converted it to a dry mix)

Ingerdients:
2 Tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
dash of salt
1 orange
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary (1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh)
1 1/2 cups medium to light bulghur
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or currants or raisins)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds (optional)

Directions: In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the oil, add the onions and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  While the onions cook, grate the orange peel and juice the orange.

Add the rosemary, orange zest, and bulghur to the onions and cook for a minute, stirring.  Add the orange juice, water or vegetable broth, and dried cranberries, cover and cook on low heat until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 mintues.  If the bulghur is still crunchy, add 1/4 cup of hot water and cook for a few minutes longer.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the soy sauce and lemon juice.  Add nuts if you like, and more soy sauce and/or lemon juice to taste.

Notes on converting to a dry mix:  Use dried chopped onions, dried garlic and dried orange zest; increase the amount of water and simmer dried ingredients and rosemary before adding the bulghur and rest of ingredients.  Use 1/2 cup canned orange juice (or some orange extract?).  Use dry bouillon; powdered lemon juice?

Aromatic Brown Rice Pilaf (Serves 4 hungry adults as an entree, 6 as a side dish)

(This is another recipe that I want to convert to a dry mix)

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons oil (or 2 T oil + 1 T butter)
1 large cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
3/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 cups liquid (1 C water + 2 C broth)
1/4 cup raisins, currants or chopped dates
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup toasted nuts (optional)

Directions: Heat oil (and butter) in a 3-quart pan over high heat.  Add the cinnamon and cloves and cook, stirring, until the cinnamon stick puffs up, 1-2 minutes.  Reduce heat and add the onion and cardamom; saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the rice and mix to coat all the grains with the other ingredients.  Cook about 1-2 minutes.

Add the water, broth, raisins, salt and orange zest, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cover tightly.  Simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.  Uncover and fluff with a fork before serving.  Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves.  Garnish with nuts before serving.

Option add-ins:  Cooked meat; red lentils (increase liquid); dried (and reconstituted), canned or frozen peas or carrots.

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 22:17:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

More recipes for my Meals From The Pantry "cookbook"

Thanks so much AlohaOR. I need to expand my 'what else to do with rice and/or other grains' area and this will help immensely. Somewhere I have a similar recipe that uses wild rice and dried cranberries- It may have apples in it too, or maybe I just tossed them in cause it sounded good to me, it went great with roast pork. I'll dig it out and post it.

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by: cinda @ Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 18:31:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Excellent AlohaOR!! ... n/t

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

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by: KathyinFL @ Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 18:48:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

testing...... testing

Yes, well, actually, I have been spending rather a bit of time testing some of my, um, er, ah... noisier... prep items.  Good excuse, anyhow.

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by: SIPCT @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 03:14:28 AM UTC

noisier prep items?

A bit cryptic SIPCT. But if I read between the lines would I hear a few loud bangs?

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by: cinda @ Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 17:53:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

More Prep Tests

The potato flakes from Honeyville Grain are good. Kids love them. Hubby, of course, prefers "real" mashed potatoes.

One of my best prep items is Jasmin Rice. I happened to buy some at Sam's Club last year and stored it in 1/2 Gal. Mason Jars. Happened to run out of rice and broke some out. Oh my gosh, we love this stuff. Tastes so much better than regular plain rice and has such a soft and fragrant flavor. Think I'm going to branch out and try some other types of rice.

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by: tjclaw1 @ Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 23:42:14 PM UTC