Baked bean Casserole and Apple betty for dinner.

Good morning to you all.  Last night for dinner I made a dinner that is a favorite in my house.  Baked bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and for dessert Apple betty.  My bunch with the exception on M loves baked bean casserole.  He doesn't  like beans.  Both are easy recipes and they are below.  Mashed potato recipe isn't because just about everybody has their own recipe for that.

Baked bean Casserole
( family of 5)

• 1 lb hamburger meat
• 32 oz pork n beans (canned or fresh made) 
• 10 splashes of  worchestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp of minced onion
• 1/4 c brown sugar

Brown the hamburger meat in a large cast iron skillet,  then add the pork n beans with all the juice,  Worchestershire sauce, onions, and brown sugar stir and throw in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350.  

 Apple betty

• 1 quart of Apple pie filling (I use my canned apple pie filling if using store bought pie filling 2 cans)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tbsp  cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick of butter softened

Pour in your pie filling  then mix the other ingredients in another bowl then pour on top and bake at 350 for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling up and the crust is browned.

4 Quick fix MRCs

I have 4 new recipes for long term storage for you.  Some quicker fix MRCs (meals ready to cook) from 3 pounds of Hamburger meat( the cheap 73%) and 2 lbs frozen vegetables with a few seasonings and noodles or rice thrown in.  These are great for the budget minded prepper/homesteader.  Meals for 6 at around $1.25 each.

I got my frozen vegetables on sale at a 10 for $10 sale at the local grocery store.  I get at least 10 when they have these sales.  Then I dehydrate the frozen vegetables for soups and meal mixes.  It is easy if you have a dehydrator, you just spread them out while still frozen in a single layer.  And run it until all vegetables are dry enough to pop when you crush them in your fingers or with a spoon.

To make hamburger rocks (dehydrate hamburger meat)

http://www.endtimesreport.com/hamburger_rocks.html

To make Cream of anything soup mix:

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/cream-of-anything-soup-mix.htm

The first one will remind you of an everyday staple of broke parents everyday.  SOS, ____ on a Shingle.  Well I made it have veggies and pasta and rice for the shingle.  I also added a bit of ranch flavor to it to help the taste.

Ranch SOS

• 1 cup Hamburger rocks (dehydrated hamburger meat)
• 3/4 c dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c cream of anything soup mix
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/3 c mini alphabet noodles (any small pasta will work)
• 1/2 c rice
• 1 tsp salt (can be omitted for diet)
• 1 tsp pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
• 1 tsp beef boullion

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

Vegetable Beef stoup

• 3/4 c hamburger rocks
• 1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp tomato boullion
• 1 tbsp beef boullion
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

Creamy vegetable beef stoup

• 3/4 c hamburger rocks
• 1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/4 c cream of anything soup
• 1 tbsp beef boullion
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.



Chicken Vegetable soup

• 1 1/4 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
• 1/4 c minced onion
• 3/4 c mini alphabet noodles
• 1/4 c  parsley
• 1 tbsp Chicken boullion
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sage
• salt and pepper to taste (about a tsp each)

Layer ingredients in a bottle, mason jar, or mylar bag. Don't forget an oxygen absorber.
To make:
Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil and dump ingredients in stir until done.

These are easy, hearty, lower carb when divided up in to 5 or more servings, and good for you.

3 MRCs (meals ready to cook) with Potato flakes

When I find real potato flakes (pearls or buds) on sale I stock up.  I know I can repackage them for Long term storage.   Potatoes are a great hearty filling meal or side dish.  My family with the exception of Miss S loves them in all shapes and forms.  Miss S who can't really do with a bunch of potatoes to begin with hates them in all form.  She doesn't even like french fries.  Yep a little odd for a 4 yr old.  She would rather have fresh carrots and ranch dressing.  I am not complaining, at least she takes a healthy substitute right?  I thought I would share 3 of my recipes for long term storage MRCs.  

First:
Hearty Ranch Potatoes 

1 1/2 cup dried mashed potatoes
2 tablespoon Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup Dry evaporated milk

2 tbsp dried chives

In a 20 oz bottle or a mason jarl, layer above ingredients.

to make

Hearty Ranch Potato Mix
1 cup  water
2 tablespoon butter or margarine

cheese 

bacon bits

In small saucepan over medium heat, place water and butter. Bring to a low simmer and pour over ingredients in mug. Mix well, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.

Second:

Fiesta Ranch Potatoes

1 1/2 cup dried mashed potatoes
1 package of Fiesta Ranch mix 

1/2 cup Dry evaporated milk

In a 20 oz bottle or a mason jarl, layer above ingredients.

to make

Fiesta Potato Mix
1 cup  water
2 tablespoon butter or margarine

Cheddar cheese 

In small saucepan over medium heat, place water and butter. Bring to a low simmer and pour over ingredients in mug. Mix well, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.

Third:

Hearty Potato Soup

1-3/4 cups instant potato flakes
1-1/2 cups dry milk powder
2 tablespoons chicken broth powder
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt (like Lawry’s)

Combine all ingredients, mixing well to make sure everything is combined.  A quart canning jar with a screw top lid makes a good storage container.

To use:  Put a 1/2 cup of the mix in a soup bowl.  Add 1 cup boiling water and stir to mix.

All 3 are simple and all 3 are yummy.

MRCs Meals ready to cook.

I have been today.  1/2 pound of cheddar and 1/2 of mozerella cheeses waxed for storage. Then I put up 6 breakfast MRCs (meals ready to cook).  In this case they were more Oatmeals.  I figure oatmeal is a healthy and very hearty breakfast.  Today I did 3 sugar free cinnamon raisin oatmeal MRCs and 3 sugar free spiced oatmeal MRCs.  Add water and cook.  Awesome for camping trips and SHTF situations.  When without power you can easily start a fire and use a cast iron dutch oven to cook.  Awesome right?! I think so.  I bottle mine up in serving sizes for 5 people which is the size of my family.  You can adjust to your family size.

Many people ask why I use plastic PET bottles (soda bottles).  Well they are cheap, reusable, and they store really easily.

This is from a couple of months ago.  Now it is all 16 and 20 oz bottles all my 2 liters are in another cabinet.

sugar free Spiced Oatmeal MRC 

1 1/2 c oatmeal

1/4 c evaporated milk

3 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

3 packets of stevia

oxygen absorber

Layer and seal.

5 servings

17 carbs per serving

Happy Yummy Sunday!

My son, E, is always giving me a hard time about looking at what my family calls "food porn".  Well after last night I might have put a stop to it.  Yesterday before my walk with the family, I found a recipe on Facebook that looked and sounded so yummy.  It was Bacon Cheesy Pull Apart Bread.  It is so good!!! I mean really really good.  The recipe calls for Sourdough bread, well I didn't have any and I was not going to run to the store for that.  I made mine with home made bread. I can not explain how good it is.  The best part is can be a meal and I have all the stuff put up in my food storage so if something did happen I would still be able to make this yummy treat.  Well I guess I should share the recipe for both the bread and the yumminess.  

Cheesy bacon pull apart bread

Ingredients

1 lg	unsliced round sourdough bread (I used homemade bread)
8 oz	block of cheddar cheese, sliced into thin slices
1/4 lb	bacon, cooked and crumbled, more or less
1 stk	butter, melted I substituted my ranch dressing mix 1 tsp instead of the following.
1/4 tsp	each of dried chives, parsley, dill weed, and garlic powder
1/8 tsp	each of onion powder,salt and pepper

Directions

1

 Using a sharp knife cut a cross-hatch pattern into the bread. 
To do this slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, making sure not to cut into the bottom crust. After you make the cuts in one direction, it is easiest to get an extra set of hands to squeeze the loaf together to cut it in the other direction.

2

 Place the bread onto a large piece of foil and curve up the edges to form a packet.Melt the butter. Then all the dried herbs and spices. Mix all together and let it sit for a minute. Pour the butter herb mixture all over the bread. Then place the thin slices of cheddar cheese in between the cut slices. Then sprinkle the top with the crumbled bacon.

4

 Wrap the foil all the way around the round of bread and place on a baking sheet.
Place in preheated 350^ oven and bake for 15 minutes.

5

 Unwrap the bread and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown.

My homemade bread and roll recipe

Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast or 1 tsp
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp softened butter
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2-4 cups flour

Method
Put water and yeast in large mixing bowl and add next 4 ingredients. Beat with dough hook until well blended( I continue to stir with a wooden spoon). Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour and mix until soft dough forms (should not be sticky). Put out onto floured board and knead a few times until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place approx. 45 minutes. Punch down and turn out onto floured board. Shape into 12 rolls and place in greased Cookie sheet. If making bread shape into a loose round shape or place in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise again about 30 minutes. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Brush tops of rolls/bread with butter. Recipe is easily doubled.

I guess you are going to need the recipe for the ranch dressing mix.

Ranch Dressing Mix

2 cups dry parsley flakes, minced
1/2 cup instant minced onion
2 tablespoons dry dill weed
1/4 cup onion salt
1/4 cup garlic salt
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder 


Dump all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until completely powdered. 


To make dressing: combine 1

 Tbsp. dry mix, 1 cup of may & 1 cup of buttermilk.

Now go try it because it is Yummy!  J wants me to make it again today.

Black Eyed peas ready to make.

Ready to make black eyed peas.

These are easy to make up and store for later.  We all know that we are supposed to eat black eyed peas for New Years.  Make these up in summer when your peas come in and for later.

Black eyed peas

2 c black eyed peas

1 ham  seasoning packet

tsp salt

tbsp pepper

2 tsp pepper flakes ( adjust to your taste)

Layer in a clean dry bottle add an oxygen absorber and seal. 

To cook add 4 c water and enjoy.

This has 5 servings about 18 grams carbs per serving.  So it is Diabetic friendly. You can adjust the seasonings to what your needs and taste.  When I cook black eyed peas fresh, I add a whole jalapeno, so I substituted it with Red pepper flakes.

Its Chili Baby

Who doesn't like Chili on a cold day?  I am no stranger to Frito Chili pie on a cold day.  I made it last week well, except I didn't have Fritos I made do with Doritos.  They had been on sale.  Those of you that don't know me will learn I am a couponer and I am cheap.  

Back to the Chili...This is easy to make with a little prep work.  First things first, you will have to make some dehydrated hamburger meat or buy some FD hamburger meat.  Here are some great directions to make your own.  This is how I do mine too.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/hamburger_rocks.html

Chili recipe for storage.

1/2 c red beans

3/4 c hamburger rocks (dehydrated hamburger meat)

1/4 c freeze dried tomatos

2 cubes of tomato boullion

1/4 dried minced onions

1 cube of beef boullion

1 tsp of garlic

2 tbsp of chili powder

1-3 tbsp of chili flakes (depending on your taste)

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper.

Layer in a bottle, add an oxygen absorber, and seal.

To make 3-4 cups of water and cook.

This is the Tomato Boullion I buy.  

A little hint,  I use a funnel I bought from automotive department for $0.99 as opposed to $5.99 in the kitchen department.  I take a wooden spoon to help get the ingredients in the bottle.  Sometimes it takes a lot of force.

Serves 5 and has about 10 g carbs

Baked beans for storage

Depending on what part of the country you are from these can be called Pork n Beans or Baked Beans.  Well, whatever you call them, they are yummy.  Seriously you can make many things with this.  It can be a side dish or a main dish, cut up some wienies and you will have beanie wienies or Franks and beans.  Again it is a cultural thing.  Where ever you are and whatever you call them, they are yummy and even your kids will ask for seconds.  

2 cups small navy beans 
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chopped onion (dried)
1 garlic clove, minced (dried)
1/4 c brown sugar
1 package of Ham seasoning

Store in an air tight bottle (soda bottle) with an oxygen absorber.  

To make add 4 3/4 c water, 
2 tablespoons of mustard.

In case you are wondering, what the ham seasoning looks like:

That ham seasoning is a great thing to have on hand.  You can add it in with any type of beans or greens you would add salt pork or fat back too.  I have sneaked this in on my family several times and they couldn't tell the difference.

Tomato Barley Soup

Yesterday I was packing meal bottles.  When I was done I had just a little bit of barley left, I hate that.  I want to have all done and neat.  So I started searching the internet for a barley recipe that could be converted for food storage.  I wasn't thinking I would find anything low carb, it is barley.  I found a recipe for Tomato Barley Soup, and when I got it made for food storage, I crunched the numbers so I could write the carbs on the bottle.  WOW, 6 carbs per serving Seriously only 6 carbs.  For those of you that are diabetic that isn't even enough to give S a shot being her scale is 1/20.  That would cut down on the amount of insulin use in hard times.

Tomato Barley Soup

1 c pearled barley
1 c chopped dried onion
1 cup tomato boulion (4 cubes) 
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes of chicken boullion
I added a 1/4 c of lentils but you can do dried carrots

To cook 4 c water, and it serves 6 with 6 carbs each.