Forgive me if this has been done, but I couldn’t find it with a search.
The current recipe thread, and most others, call for canned ingredients. I’m probably not alone in concentrating my preps on beans and rice and supplementing with very basic ingredients, like tomato paste and spices, flour, sugar, dried milk and egg, TVP, etc.
I’m talking grad student cooking here.
I’d really love to share no-frills recipes for nutritious and hearty meals that call only for the very most basic ingredients.
Here’s mine to start:
Rice and lentils: Start rice cooking in twice the water called for; twenty minutes later add lentils, cumin, salt and a dash of pepper sauce to taste. Cook twenty more minutes.
No-fresh-ingredients hummus: Cook dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas), add smashed clove garlic or powder, salt, bottled lemon juice, and olive oil (your cheapo substitute for tahini). Mash well and spread on scratch-made tortillas.
I’ve been purchasing things to put on top on rice or spices to add to rice to add variety. Such as:
Dry powdered chicken gravy and brown gravy mix (only requires water) to put over rice: I bought HUGE containers of this stuff at Sam’s for under $5 for each.
Fried Rice powdered packets in the oriental section.
Bouillon Cubes: Knorr has two new flavors chipotle and onion, in addition to the standard chicken and beef bullion. Another way to add flavor to rice.
Cheeze Wiz: To make cheesy rice; can also add canned ham or spam
When you have a sweet tooth: Make rice, add butter (or substitute), cinnamon, sugar, raisins (if you like). This is surprisingly good.
For beans: I’ve purchased “pinto bean’ seasonings from Fiesta brand seasonings (www.fiestaseasonings.com) That stuff is awesome!! Really makes an excellent pot ‘o beans.
Taco Seasoning packets: add to beans for flavor
Just a note on rice. I bought instant “enriched” white rice because you only have to bring it a boil and then remove it from heat. Fuel is a limited resource so spending a little more $$ on a instant rice that doesn’t need to boil for 10+ minutes might pay off. I buy “Kraft Minute White Rice - Instant - Enriched - Long Grain” at Sam’s for less than $5 a box and it yields 37 cups of cooked rice.
Certainly a little more expensive to store but if it saves having to store an extra propane tank or two then it might be a draw. Of course if you are using a solar oven and slow cooking then it is a different story.
Tanget thought for fellow rice and beaners like myself.
I was reading the diary of Anne Frank as required reading for my 6th grader(to test her if she is really reading it.) In the beginning the Franks stored a lot of beans. There is a passage in the book that talked about how sick they were of beans. Anne said she couldn’t eat them any more, no matter how hungry she was.
I still persist in my bean and rice preps. I think, if my family is hungry enough they will eat it.
I too have no particular recipe in mind.
I did get crisco oil, mixed vegetables in cans, soy sauce, dried onions and powdered eggs. I hope that if really food-bored, we can make a treat of fried rice.
The sugared/buttered rice is delicious! I have eaten it for years. I got butter flavored crisco, for long shelf life, to make it as dessert . I hope it tastes ok.
I am saving my old newspapers as free fuel to cook the rice if needed. It adds up quickly. My husband says there is a way to add glue and make a newspaper log.
For those with a sweet craving add half a can of sweet condensed milk to 2 or 3 cups of warmed cooked rice, stir in & serve, sprinkle with cinnanom. I just love this & have about 40 cans saved up.
birdie74 suggested it — I’ll just tell you how the Austrians make Milchreis: cook round-grain risotto rice in milk instead of water. Add sugar and vanilla (extract or fresh from the bean) while it cooks, and some butter when it’s done. Real comfort food. Another Austrian dish is lentils with bacon or ham. Soak the dried lentils, then cook until soft. Add a bayleaf, salt and pepper, and a bouillon cube while the lentils simmer. Then add chunks of uncooked bacon or ham (or Spam?), and cook a while longer. Serve with Knödel (dumplings made from stale bread) if you have them. And drink a beer, of course!
I have been buying up salt pork and smoked ham hocks to flavor the buckets of navy beans I have stored. I also have a lot of canned pinto beans and some seasonings to add to them (dried peppers, chili powder, etc.). It would seem to me that if you are REALLY hungry rice and beans would be appetizing, but then maybe I would feel differently if I ate them for several months.
Actually, since dry beans and rice take a lot of water and fuel to cook, our plan is to eat as much of that early on as possible when essential services are still operating. That way we can save the easy to cook canned foods for later. I am also going to hide away (from the regular preps) some canned pasta and ravioli, and other high calorie, high fat content food for when we really need it.
Excellent point! So we eat refrigerator, freezer, then dried food. Eat canned food last. It makes sense
HBB - right on as to the order. Also, don’t forget pasta and sauce, if the grid is up. While not as cheap as rice/beans it will add variety to the menu. If you have kids, don’t forget some treats. It is my indirect experience that kids will eat anything if they are hungry enough but having a stash of treats will make life easier.
Other folks, do not forget multivitamins. As I recall, rice and beans provides a complete source of protein but not of essential vitamins and minerals. If you are planning on SIP for more then a few weeks, keep this in mind.
For flavoring look into the cans of condensed soup. There are lot of flavors so it can make a big difference in the plain old rice and beans menu. Just be warned that these soups tend to be high in sodium (for those that are sensitive to it).
Mike
Both beans and rice can be soaked overnight before cooking to save on fuel. Oatmeal can be soaked too, but perhaps for only a half hour.
We have a lot of canned tomatoes to cook with our beans and rice. And seasonings such as dried onion, garlic, oregano, chile powder, etc. And olive oil to add. And lots of masa to make tortillas to go with the beans. And some cornmeal for bean pies. Ack. It’s going to be rather boring eating for some time. Boring, survival eating. We do have canned goods, but they will be saved for later if conditions get bad and we cant cook, and just a can opener and spoon are the best way to go. And we intend to use hay-box cooking (well insulated, covered box) for fuel efficiency. And solar cooking when the sun is out.
I cant get excited about recipes for this stuff right now, although we have purchased the basics to make it taste better when its needed.
pinto beans, cook normaly canned or dry, add package of enchalada seasoning mix or can of enchalada sauce, dried ground beef/or canned chicken—other seasonings per taste like extra garlic or onions, canned makes a very quick chili, add cheese; powdered or canned, wrap in tortillas or use for nacho dip.
When I was growing up left over chili would occasionally turn into chili-mac.
Rice With Garlic and Pine Nuts 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 roasted head of garlic (garlic puree) 4 cups cooked rice 3/4 cup pine nuts salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter in a large skillet. Swirl in the garlic puree. Add the rice and pine nuts. Saute, stirring and tossing, until the rice is heated through and has absorbed the butter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot. Note that this is a very nutritious dish. Rice is not only rich in fiber, but also contains most of the B vitamins. Pine nuts are a rich source of zinc, selenium and other important vitamins.
This is a hearty and interesting Moroccan Lentil Soup that could be made completely with dehydrated veggies (or canned) when fresh are out of reach.
DIRECTIONS:
1. In large pot saute; the onions, garlic, and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes. 2. Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft. 3. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir and enjoy!
This is hearty enough to be a meal with some lavash and it is great protein.
Thanks Bill. I hadn’t given much thought to what order to eat my preps. Yours makes lots of sense. I was initially thinking that rice and beans will get real old real fast so I was going to hold off on them. But the fuel issue is looming not only for food preps but water also (well). Canned soups that don’t require much to heat up or any water added will be needed later on.
Reminder: for best nutrition, “rice” means whole grain/brown rice - not white rice or instant rice.
Worried in the City at 16:18-that account of Anne Frank is so accurate. It’s called “food fatigue”. Prep foods need to be varied.
I’m making note of the condiments and seasonings you all are recommending — this is really helpful!
I know food fatigue is real. Although I was happy eating beans and rice for weeks on end in grad school, my children revolted. However, I served the *same* beans and rice every day. I think using soups, sauces, and different seasonings will provide enough variety for a survival situation. I also have pinto, black and navy beans, plus red and green lentils, each of which has a different flavor and style.
I *love* all the variations of sweet rice; it’s really delicious and a comfort food we can count on. Anyone know how to make sweets with bean flour? I know the Japanese do.
OOOps, I was going to add my recipe at the end of that post.
Soak one pound of navy beans overnight. The next day, cook the beans until they are done. Drain water. Then put the beans and 2 32 oz containers of chicken stock in a pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. 3–4 mashed and diced cloves of garlic. 1 t. rosemary. Saute 2 c diced onion and 2 c diced celery in olive oil. Add to pot with beans. Take out 2 to 3 cups of bean soup and whirl through blender. Add back to soup. Add 2 cups mashed potatoes and 1 c half and half. Cook for an hour or two on low. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese or a dash of paprika on top of soup. Serve with home made crusty bread.
In fact . . .here’s the bread recipe . . .
Dump 1 quart very warm water in a large bowl.
Add 2 t salt
7 T sugar
2/3 stick butter or 1/3 c olive oil
Stir in 5 cups whole wheat flour
Add 3 packets of yeast or 7 t. yeast
Stir and stir.
Add 5 cups of bread flour.
Stir and stir and stir.
Cover bowl. (this is a must)
Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled.
It will look ominous and puffy. If it smiles at you, throw it out. lol!
Anyway, punch it down.
Use a very large wooden spoon (or your hands) to
divide dough between 3 large loaf pans.
Smooth out the top of the dough.
Sprinkle with rolled oats. (just dust it)
Let rise in your oven (covered with a barely damp towel) for about another hour. Bake at 350 until done. About 30–40 minutes.
If you really want to get creative. Add a bit more flour to your dough. Knead it in. Make round loaves. Let rise. Bake. When done, cut a hole in the top and scoop out center of bread. Fill with bean soup. (Your own personal bread bowl)
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Find some good spanish cook books and you will find a huge number of recipes for rice and beans. Add canned chicken, spam, vennea sausage, (if you can find it) canned hambuger, pot roast or pork) to streach and make it taste better. Pasta stored properly will last years, The same meats will improve the taste and change it up. Add in cans of beef stew (over rice of course) helps two. Get instant potatos and other caned goods to change the pace. It will be an job to keep from food burn out.
Here’s the mother lode of beans and rice recipes from About.com. Consider printing these into your binder, this includes everything.
CAMike – at 17:37
Pasta is a regular once-a-week meal at our house. Last night I was dating and putting away some dry goods I had bought at Aldi’s and my grandaughter asked me for the umpteenth time if I had lots of spaghetti stored. I showed her the jars of sauce and had her count them and then figure out how many months worth we had. She looked very satisfied when she knew we were good for more than 3 months. I also have lots of mac-n-cheese and rice-a-roni type rice mixes in different flavors. She likes those a lot also. It really is important when you children are part of your SIP plans that you include foods they like.
If y’all want beans and rice recipes I’ve got plenty for sure.
There are a lot more ways to fix rice pudding that I would have ever thought and I’ve been gathering them.
Same with rice, though to get the full range for using rice, you really do need to have more variety in your preps than just rice and beans.
If anyone has access to Hispanic (not really Mexican) groceries there is a dish called Yellow Rice. Its rice that has been seasoned and colored with saffron. The generic stuff is the cheapest and still just as good for what we are talking about. Its not more difficult to cook that regular white rice and easier to cook in my opinion than some of the brown rice dishes. Dump over the top of yellow rice canned beef stew … well, just about canned anything with some gravy to it … and you have a really good meal.
I’ll load some of the rice recipes I have on the recipe thread to try and keep things condensed and together.
Melanie
WHAT is garam masala??
This looks like a great recipe and I have copied it down, but I would like to know what this spice? is, I think this soup will be good even without that spice.
Another quick thing to do with all sorts of canned or dried beans is to stock up with different bottled salsa and add them to canned beans. I eat this all the time, hot and especially cold, very tasty!
I also make heaps of hummus. The good thing is my kids and their friends love it, my husband has never tasted it. Never tasted any of my homemade soups either, he is going to be the biggst problem because he lives on pizza and swiss cheese; he avoids anything green and will eat an occasional salad. Very fussy eater and has made me crazy trying to please him..food wise…. He eats like an adolescent, so he has me worried. I do have a basement full of candy and cho9calte for him, so at least his seretonin will be kept up keeping him all warm and fuzzy.
chocolate
Keep a good supply of herbs and spices on hand (fresh and stored properly) as well as salt, fat, honey, dried powdered milk, canned tomatoes or dried tomato powder, baking powder/baking soda, yeast, and beef/chicken bouillon / soup base. In addition, even if it is only a patio container… plan on keeping a small kitchen garden of herbs and greens that you can use to flavor and add to your meal preps. With those at your disposal - you can do alot to enhance the basics of rice, beans, pasta, and whole grains. The key to protein completion is to add a grain product (rice, corn, wheat, oats, pastas) to a legume (beans, lentils, peas, peanuts). All of those basics are inexpensive - and your options are much greater if you provide yourself with a greater variety of possible combinations. A manual grinder for grains/beans is a good item to keep on hand.
Here’s my contribution to the recipes:
Beefy Tomato Base:
1/4 cup instant beef bouillon, 1/4 cup tomato powder, 6 cups water Mix all ingredients together and use in soup recipes calling for a beefy tomato base. Makes 6 cups.
Meatless Chili Soup:
1 recipe of beefy tomatoe base (see above), 1 cup precooked dried beans (navy, black, pinto, or kidney), 1/2 cup pasta (elbow macaroni or “whatever”), 1/8 cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon dried onion powder, 1 tablespoon barley (flaked or pearl), 1 tablespoon dried green or red bell pepper dices, 1 teaspoon sugar, pinch of garlic powder, large pinch of baking soda, salt and papper to taste.
Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Makes 6 cups.
I made Melanie’s chick pea and lentil soup last night to serve for lunch today (along with the usual 4th fare)and it turned out fantastic! —although I didn’t have garam masala, whatever that is—
even the village picky eater around here loves it!
Thanks for the recipe—
seacoast – at 12:33, garam masala is a blend of Indian Spices.
See http://www.ochef.com/r75.htm for a list of the ingredients. I have never used it but I expect that you can find it at your local Indian store or online.
There have been some great ideas above. Personally, I had not thought of the various Indian spices/curries. These could be easily used to pep up those rice and beans dishes. Hummus, another basic that I had forgotten about.
I agree with DoubleD about keeping an herb garden. You would be amazed at what you can grow inside or outside, in a very small area, if you give it a try. I am currently growing cherry tomatoes, lettuce, chives, chard, radishes and basil inside and more tomatoes, green onions, green beans, basil and assorted spices outside in pots. This year has been an experiment so I have kept my expectations low. Yes, some of the plants have been leggy and others have not thrived but I got a lot more then I expected. Find what works for you and give it a try. There is nothing like fresh veggies/spices to perk up the same old rice and beans. The above is for those with limited indoor or outdooor growing space. If you happen to live in a locale with plenty of garden space, cut loose, if you have not already done so. It has been my experience that gardening only gets better the longer you are at it. Your experience grows at the same time that the quality of your soil improves.
BrooklynBound – at 22:46, is correct that whole grain/brown rice is needed for a balanced protein with beans (or many legumes). While white rice or instant rice will do in a pinch it has been stripped of most of the essentail nutrients.
Thanks for all the great ideas.
Mike
Mike
Woo hoo. The link worked.
I am not sure who Mike Mike is. Probably some square.
Mike
Garam masala is a north Indian spice blend. The reputation of an Indian cook rests on her blend. Here’s a recipe, though it’s easy to find in the Indian groceries:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds 2 tablespoons coriander seeds 2 tablespoons cardamom seeds 2 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon, broken up 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon saffron (optional)
Instructions:
Put the cumin, coriander, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves in a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the spices, stirring occasionally, until they turn several shades darker and give off a sweet smoky aroma, about 10 minutes. Do not raise the heat to quicken the process, or the spices will brown prematurely, leaving the insides undercooked. Cool completely.
Working in batches if necessary, transfer the mixture to a spice mill or coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Stir in the nutmeg and saffron. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Garam Masala keeps for 3 months.
Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup
CAMike – at 15:35
Did you know that it is super easy to make your own hummus? Its not bad at all.
And cute “Mike Mike”. <grin> I musta had enough math to catch that one. LOL!
Kathy in FL – at 15:47, can you point me to a recipe? I love the stuff. I am glad you caught the joke. Made my day. What is the point of bad puns if no one catches them?
Heather, if you are watching this thread, keep up the dumb jokes of the day.
Mike
Here ya go CAMike …
Traditional Hummus
Open can of beans and drain liquid into a cup. Pour beans into a food processor. Throw in Tahini, Garlic, Soy Sauce and Lemon juice. Process into a paste. Add a little of the reserved bean juice if mixture is too thick.
Kathy in FL, thank you, sounds yummy. I will give it a try this weekend.
I can always count on you to come up with a recipe. Don’t you have your own website with even more recipes? If so can you give me the address?
I am amazed at the amount of effort and time that you are willing to spend on recipes. Thank you very much.
Mike
CAMike – at 17:32
Its just a yahoo group. The name is epreprecipes. I’ve got a lot in the files section of the group that might interest you and I try to add something every day when time permits.
To me, it just the most basic and practical expression of preparedness living. Emphasis on the living. <grin> With a family of 7 I deal with this every day regardless of whether you throw panflu into the mix or not. Its about budgeting and nutrition and future plans … but it is also about having fun and living well. If nothing else I want my kids to understand that survival isn’t just about surviving … its also about living and all that goes along with it.
Another recipe for Hummus
All the same as above without the soy sauce
Add fresh lemon or lime jucice
To finish, add very good olive oil to get the the paste to your taste.
juice
Brazilian “baby food”: cooked white rice & kidney beans, fork-mashed to a pulp with a little salted butter. Might be good comfort food for sick people too—tastier than plain rice & beans for some reason.
Thanks, Kathy, I will check it out. Have a good holiday and/or evening and accept my appreciation for all your efforts on the FW. You are one of the GG/GGs.
:grin that is Good Guys/Good Gals.
Mike
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Creamy Chicken Curry Lentil Soup
1 c red split lentils (these cook in about half the time of regular lentils)
2 c chicken broth
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 T canola oil
1 tsp hot red curry powder or to taste
1 c milk
1 can or 1 foil pouch of chicken
Combine lentils and broth, bring to a boil. Add onion, oil and spice and simmer, covered, for 15 min. Add chicken and milk, simmer for an additional 5 min. Yummy!
Make substitutions with dried ingredients as necessary.
Northstar, I made your creamy lentil soup today and it is truly terrific. I didn’t use the hot curry powder (I have a milder curry powder I am partial to and the hot curries burn me up) and I added an extra half/cup of half and half and just chopped up a cooked chicken breast instead of using canned. Salted to taste. It’s a great recipe. I had half a mind to next time, whirl part of the recipe through a blender to thicken it up some and serve over basmati or brown rice.
The creamy quality made it such a comfort food. Where on earth did you get the recipe? I thought I had copies of all the lentil soup recipes on the planet? This one escaped me.
Beans Cooked in the Ground (Pioneer Recipe)
Dig a hole about 18” square. Make a fire in the hole and let it burn down to hot coals. Place a pot of beans in the hole with plenty of water, in the pot, salt, pepper and 1 – 2 pieces of bacon or other seasoning. Cover tightly. Place coals and ashes around pot and cover with dirt. Cook 6 – 8 hours.
Ange D — thanks, what a compliment! It’s an original recipe… now written down for the first time here. It exists nowhere else! (G) The cream sounds great — I watch my weight so I cook “light” but if I didn’t, a big dollop of cream would be in there. One thing though: the consistancy of mine is pretty thick from the get go — the lentils have pretty well disintegrated by the time I add the milk, so I wouldn’t need to blender to get that creaminess — I wonder if my recipe needs a little more cook time? (I try to re-create my “pinch ‘o this, dab ‘o that, cook ‘till done” methodology with more or less success.)
Oh, and YES! I’ve made it very thick and served it over rice! Phenomenal! (If we weren’t dealing with allergies I would add coconut milk and make it really Thai-like.)
Kathy, it’s going to be a sad day if we have a major pandemic that is so bad that we can’t use crock pots. However, that hole in the ground approach to cooking beans is interesting. It might be fun just to try it this fall when the weather cools down. Are you SURE it said only 1 or 2 pieces of bacon? Check again. Maybe it said “Place a pot of bacon in the 18″ square hole in the ground. Throw in 1 or 2 BEANS” lol! (bacon lovers here!)
Northstar, I actually added extra chicken broth (because I knew I was going to make extra, because I knew from your recipe we were going to like it and because we really DID like it and hubby took some to work and I had the rest for lunch yesterday and craved it today). when I commented on it yesterday, I scaled back the recipe for the half and half because I doubted that anyone would double or triple it because no one likes lentils as much as we do probably. I had also cooked more lentils besides for the soup to throw on a salad this weekend. (I also mash lentils to throw into bread to increase the protein content) I usually cook lentils about an hour, btw.
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Forgot about this until I was in the sotre the other day - Vigo and I think another Hispanic brand sells packages of Rice and Beans together, already spiced in different combos (Cajun, etc.). They are a not the greatest, but I was thinking they would be good to stockpile for people in need as it’s all inclusive in one packet and only takes 20+mine to prepare.
Vigo…makes a red beans and rice…a black beans and rice and a spanish yellow saffron rice. All on sale at Giant Food this week.(Giant is mid atlantic)
Ok for variety from the beans/rice add some Jiffy mixes to your stash. They are less tha 50 cents each and would add variety http://tinyurl.com/ysyxz
I’ve eaten pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, split peas, dried limas, and lentils. For all those other bean types out there, what are good spices or other additions that go best with their flavor?
Spices…Look at Adobo seasoning. This link is to the Spice House, lots of spices and seasonings. http://tinyurl.com/hf7oq
lauraB – at 06:28
Vigo yellow rice is great. Its a tad “stickier” than a white rice but it is still good.
A quick Arroz con Pollo (Rice with Chicken)
Open a can of chicken. Use the liquid you drain off the chicken as part of the water to make your yellow rice. Dump the chicken chunks into the pot with the rice and cook the rice according to directions.
After rice is cooked, fluff it up a bit. Add a can of drained English peas that have been drained and gently fold into rice and chicken … or open them at the same time you open the chicken and use that liquid as well as part of your rice cooking water.
Canned ham can be used to season beans as can bouillon. Good salt and pepper can as well.
I know some folks that use peppers to season black eyed peas.
If you have an Hispanic section in your grocery see if they carry ham bouillon … it works really well.
Some beans are good to go just being cooked with onions, oil, and salt and pepper mixed with the cooking oil.
Well apparently those cooking beans in the ground directions that I gave earlier in the thread can also be used similarly to a slow cooker. For kicks, the kids and I made the following … note of warning, if it rains you have a real mess on your hands; and, if the ground is wet/damp from previous rain it can be hard to get a good fire going.
Bean Pot Medley
Combine beans, ketchup, onion, bell peppers, brown sugar, water, vinegar, mustard, bay leaves and black pepper in 3–1/2-quart pot with lid; mix well. Cover; cook for 6 to 7 hours in your “hole in the ground” oven. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Turned out really good and I served it with cornbread.
Always have an alternative plan though just in case of rain. We’ve been getting some fairly soaking afternoon thunderstorms everyday so my experimentation with this kind of cooking is temporarily on hold.
I cooked some navy beans tonight - about 1/2 of a small package, with one onion, 2 garlic cloves, 3 slices of summer sausage cut into small chunks, black pepper, and about a tablespoon of molasses. Really good! My taste buds have gotten more sensitive with time, and many things taste over-sweet or over-salty, but this was just right.
Mari, some of my favorite seasonings for pulses (that’s what all those are)are: curry, fresh grated ginger, cumin, (not all together!) and onion, tomato, brown sugar, lemon (together.)
Northstar – at 21:12 - Black beans have a strong flavor, while navy beans don’t. There must be some spices/seasonings that work well with one type of bean but don’t with others. My guy really likes ginger, so I’ll be sure to try that one. What kind of beans would you recommend for that? He also likes curry powder.
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Here’s a neat idea that I found day before yesterday. Gave it a try last night and it turned out reasonably well … might even be good for someone with wheat allergies. Was kinda different, but not in a bad way. Could probably be made with regular cooked rice, but I just tried it with the directions as given.
Rice Crust
Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine eggs, rice, cheese, onion and salt in medium bowl and mix well. With back of spoon, press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.
You can top this “crust” just like you would any homemade pizza.
Thought some of you might find this useful ---
COOKING BEANS
Soaking and cooking beans before mixing with other recipe ingredients helps to get the right tenderness and can minimize final cooking time.
Overnight soaking: For each 1 pound beans, dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 6 cups of water. Wash beans, add to salted water, and soak overnight.
Quick soaking: For each 1 pound beans, bring 8 cups of water to boiling. Wash beans, add to boiling water, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and soak 1 hour.
To cook soaked beans: For each 1 pound dried beans, dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 6 cups hot water, bring to a boil. Add soaked beans, boil gently, uncovered, adding water if needed to keep beans covered, until tender. Yield 6 to 7 cups.
To cook old hard beans: Wash and sort to remove any discolored beans or foreign material. For each cup of dry beans, add 2 ½ cups of hot tap water and 2 tsp. of baking soda and soak overnight. Drain and rinse two times, then add water to cover and cook until tender and soft, about two hours, adding more water as needed.
Adding a tbsp. of oil will cut down on foam as beans cook. Stored beans should be rotated regularly. They continue to lose moisture and will not reconstitute satisfactorily if kept too long.
WHITE BEANS REPLACE FAT IN MOST BAKING
Method 1: Cover beans with water and cook until very soft. Mash until consistency of shortening (use blender) Replace in recipes cup for cup. Example: Recipe calls for 1 cup margarine - use 1 cup mashed beans. Liquid may be added to adjust the consistency. Mashed beans do not keep long in the fridge, so freeze them.
Method 2: Grind beans in your wheat grinder. Store in air-tight container. Replace fat in the recipe cup for cup as above. You will need to add liquid since the ground beans will be part of the dry ingredients.
PINTO BEAN FUDGE
In large bowl stir beans and milk together, adding enough milk to resemble mashed potatoes; stir in vanilla. Melt chocolate and butter or margarine and stir into bean mixture. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Knead with hands until well blended. Spread into lightly greased 9-inch baking dish or form into two 1-½ inch rolls. Chill 1–2 hours.
USING RICE
Cook rice in beef or chicken broth instead of water.
Mix cooked rice with a variety of things—sliced mushrooms, sauteed onions, crumbled pieces of bacon, slivered almonds or grated cheese.
Try sour cream and chives mixed into cooked rice.
Substitute ½ cup fruit juice (orange, apple, cherry) for ½ cup water when cooking. Vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice may also be exchanged for 1 cup of the water used in cooking.
Add one of the following herbs to the cooking water when preparing rice:
To cook rice:
One cup of uncooked rice equals 3 cups of cooked rice, or four servings. Combine:
Combine the ingredients. Bring to a boil in a covered pan, stirring several times. Lower the heat to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes without removing the lid or stirring, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
BEAN FLOUR
1 cup dry beans = about 1–1/8 cups flour
Dry beans can be ground to a fine flour using a hand grinder and strong muscles for small quantities or electric mill for larger quantities. A small amount of bean flour added to baked goods increases vitamin and mineral content and contributes towards a complete protein. Bean flour is great to have on hand for making “instant” soups, sauces, dips, gravies, and sandwich fillings, and to add to almost everything you cook or bake. When added to boiling water, bean flours thicken in only 1 minute; cooked 3 minutes they are ready to eat (saves fuel too). This is the quickest way to cook dried beans.
Baby lima and small white beans have mildest taste. Other favorites are pinto, small red and garbanzo. Some varieties of beans require more liquid than others. You will have to experiment. Store flour on cool, dark shelf in an air-tight container. Best used within 3 months
Instant Bean Soup/Gravy
Use 2 T. white bean flour per cup of liquid for thin soups, 3 T. for medium-thick and 4–5 T. for thick soups, stews or gravies. Whisk into soup stock or boiling water with 1 t. bouillon or soup base per cup. Cook 3–5 minutes.
Cream of Bean Soup
In a saucepan whisk bean flour into boiling water and seasoning. Stir and cook 3 minutes. Puree in blender for a “souper” creamy texture. Serve over pasta or stir in cooked wheat or beans. Use as a gravy over cooked rice. Soup thickens as it cools, and can be refrigerated for up to one week. Use it in place of canned soup.
Cream Sauce: Use reconstituted dry milk for part of water and add a little oil or non-dairy creamer.
Bean Ball Candy
Butter a small flat dish or saucer and set aside. Combine all dry ingredients in a saucepan. Stir in water. Cook on medium-low heat until very thick. Be sure to cook at least 5 minutes to get beans cooked. If they thicken too fast add more water and turn down heat. Stir with a pancake turner to keep bottom scraped. Remove from heat and beat in shortening with a whisk.
When cooked, scrape out on saucer and let cool. Form into balls
Kathy, et al:
My style of cooking is extremely … shall we say … unadorned. What do you think of having large quantities of pinto beans and rice on hand, and then just adding a can of something to that to vary the flavor; different soups and stews?
My thought is that I could have enough variety to avoid appetite fatigue and yet be simple enough for me to prepare under ANY circumstance. A can of chili one night, a can of vegetable beef soup the next, and so on. Hopefully, one can would be enough to flavor the pot of beans & rice of sufficient quantity to feed four people — or at least two people.
I welcome feedback on this idea.
Dennis in Colorado – at 21:40
Go for it. Don’t forget gravies, canned meats, even fruit (raisins, diced dried apples, pineapple tidbits, etc.) goes well in rice … sort of like a fruit rice pilaf.
If you are going to be doing a lot of this, you might also want to stock some saltines or learn to make some simple flat breads to vary your taste and texture even further.
You’ll also want to stock some canned fruits, fruit cocktail, fruit juices, etc. so that you can use to deal with any sweet tooth and balance your diet out even further. You can drink the juice off of the fruit for additional fluids as well.
Thanks, Kathy. I realized, as soon as I hit the “Post” button, that I should have emphasized I have other plans for breakfast and lunch … I’m just thinking of the “bowl of beans & rice” for dinner. Well, maybe some lunches, too, but mostly dinner. Thanks for the hint, though, about the Saltines. Great idea.
One time when my wife and I were on a trip to Mexico with others from our church, our van broke down. In order to make a down payment on a new engine and leave enough for bus fare to get back home (my pastor and I returned later to retrieve the repaired van), we lived on tortillas and peanut butter for a week. That was ~25 years ago and my wife still won’t eat that combination again. I’m less particular, but do recognize the reality of appetite fatigue.
The only Cuban restaurant near me closed over a year ago, which meant that I had to learn to make my own black beans and rice. This recipe is pretty close to what I used to get with my ropa vieja at the late, lamented Havanita in Arlington, VA.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place beans in a large saucepan with enough water to cover, and soak 8 hours, or overnight; drain.
2. Chop the fat back into a coarse dice and render it on medium heat. Drain all but two tablespoons of the fat and saute onion, green bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Remove and drain.
3. Into the onion mixture, stir the reserved fat back, drained beans, water, tomato paste, pimentos, and vinegar. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender.
Serve with hot, white rice and hot sauce. If you want to make it vegetarian and omit the fat back, you’ll want to add a little liquid smoke and a bit more salt.
This serves 8 but it freezes well for smaller households. It is also addictive. I can and do eat it every day when I’m on one of my Cuban food tears. Fight food fatigue, this recipe will help.
Hmmm, bean flour. How do you handle the gas issue if you don’t soak the beans first? Beano alone isn’t enough!
I have a couple of suggestions here that might help.
First,,,Where we live getting water is a problem,, and it takes a lot of fuel to cook beans, so I home canned beans.
All I do is put one cup of beans in a quart jar , fill the jar to the shoulders with water and pressure can for 90 minutes. No pre cooking required.
Second for rice. We do this so we will use less fuel when cooking
For rice,,, you can Make instant rice at home. Cook regular rice according to directions on package. Then put in a dehydrater and dry. When you use it cook as you would instant rice.
Hope this helps.
This is from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook.
Gypsy Soup
2 c. chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3–4 Tbs. olive oil
2 c. peeled and chopped sweet potatoes or winter squash
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
3/4 c. chopped sweet peppers
1 1/2 c. cooked chickpeas (canned or 3/4 c. prepared dry chickpeas)
3 c. stock or water
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
dash of cinnamon
dash of cayenne
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. soy sauce or tamari
Saute onions, garlic, and celery for a few minutes. Add sweet potatoes, all the spices (except the soy sauce), and the stock or water. Cover, simmer 15 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and the chickpeas. Simmer until the vegetables are as tender as you like them to be.
Also from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook.
Brazilian Black Bean Soup
2 Tbs. oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
(optional: 1 c. chopped red or green pepper)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 c. dry black beans
3 1/2 c. stock or water
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and seeded
1/2 c. orange juice
1 Tbs. dry sherry
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Sour cream (optional)
Soak and cook beans till soft
Sauté onion and garlic.
Add carrot, celery, and sweet peppers (if using), and the coriander and cumin.
When everything seems just as it should be, add the vegetables to the beans.
Let it simmer a while till it looks just about done.
Add orange sections, orange juice, sherry, black and red pepper, and lemon juice.
Let it simmer another 10 minutes.
Make any adjustments you want (add water if it’s too thick, puree some of the beans if it’s not thick enough). Adjust salt and add more cayenne if it needs it.
Serve topped with some sour cream if you have it.
I usually start from a 1-lb bag of black beans and I rarely measure anything, but it always turns out great. I don’t think I’ve ever added the 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice. Also I’ve made it just with orange juice from concentrate when I had no oranges available, but having fresh orange sections in it is great.
Okay, this one doesn’t have rice or beans in it at all, but it’s really good. And garlic is good for you!
Roasted Onion and Garlic Soup
3 large onions, left unpeeled
8 large garlic cloves (or more if you’re a garlic addict), left unpeeled
olive oil
5 c. vegetable or chicken broth
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
3/4 c. diced potato
Bake unpeeled onions and garlic cloves, brushed with oil. About 30 minutes for the garlic, about 1 1/2 hours for the onions (or until done)
Saute onions 15 minutes in a little olive oil
Add garlic, broth, and thyme and bring to a boil, then let simmer 15 minutes.
Add potato, simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender.
Discard thyme sprigs.
Puree.
Pilaf with rice or bulgur wheat
Sauté a little uncooked cappellini (aka angel hair pasta) in a little olive oil over medium heat until it starts to brown. Watch it, because it burns easily.
Add 1 cup long-grain white rice or bulgur wheat and mix it until it’s coated with the oil.
Add 1 cup water and 1 cup chicken broth and salt to taste.
Bring to a boil, then let simmer till done.
Roasted pepper and black bean salad
1 1/4 c. dry black beans, soaked and cooked till tender
Roasted red peppers (bottled or roasted yourself)
Mix the warm beans with this dressing:
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mix in roasted peppers
If available, scallions and fresh basil or cilantro are good as garnishes
Bean and Rice Casserole
Preheat oven to 375. In a 5-qt dutch oven over medium high heat, “saute” onion in liquid of your choice (balsamic vinegar gets my vote) ‘til tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice, cook while stirring until parched and opaque. Add beans, tomatoes, chiles and 3 1/2 cups of water to rice and onion in dutch oven and bring mixture to boil. Cover tightly place in oven, baking until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (around 1 hour for brown rice) Add peas and corn, adjust seasonings, and return to oven until heated through.
Kathy - I joined your yahoo group to get your excellent recipes. - Made the cashew rice pilaf - Yum. Seems like there should be a dedcated spot on Fluwikie for prep recipes. They seem to get lost in the threads. Learning how to use our preps for eveyday is something we should all be doing sooner rather than later.
HI! I was hoping someone could answer this and hope it’s in the right thread! I was so excited to finally be able to buy a 25# bag of beans at sams. After I got home, i noticed that they put an expiration date of November, 2006! I thought beans were good forever(practically). Do they do this to cya or is it because it is packaged differently and someow spoils easily?
Also, as per gprepo above, i would love if the recipes could go into some kind of dedicated spot!
preppiechick – at 11:53
Never paid any attention to possible “best used by” dates on dried beans. Didn’t even know they had them. <grin> I’ve used some really old dried beans just fine … took longer to cook them, but cook they did and I couldn’t tell the difference. Hopefully someone else will have a better explanation.
Tanks to a suggestion in the Canning and Preserving thread, I’m going to start making up pots of beans flavored with salt pork and canning it in quart jars. That way, all of that long cooking time will be done now while the utilities are functioning.
For those who don’t do home canning, cooked beans also freeze very well.
Ok im not sure if this is the right thread for this but can anyone tell me how to make no frills tortillas, we are in Aus and i have stocked up on them as they have quite a long shelf life but was wondering how to make them if the need arose obviously i have stockpiled different types of flour and oils etc any help would be great cheers
ozgirl,
Flour or corn? I make both. You’ll need a tortilla press or a rolling pin and bread board.
Kathy in FL–at 12:09 --- All dried beans have an expy date. It’s stamped on each and every individual bean. You just have to look for it!! ;-)
ozgirl, I second Melanie on the need for a tortilla press or rolling pin/bread board (having plastic wrap helps too). You can *attempt” to flatten them in your hands, but what you end up with will not be pretty… it will be edible, but you better have lots of “fixin’s” to pile on top of the mess so people will eat it :)
I use instant masa harina for corn tortillas, Maseca is the brand name (don’t know if it’s available there), but all you need to do is add water.
Regarding tortillas.
I made corn tortillas once years ago (masa and water). I don’t have a press and I can’t remember if I used plastic wrap or wax paper to prevent sticking (I think it was wax paper). But I do remember I couldn’t get them to hold together. I ended up with variously sized parts of corn tortillas. I could roll out a lovely tortilla shape, but couldn’t remove it from the wax paper as a full tortilla. No matter what I did, it just ripped apart.
They tasted wonderful, but they were more like tortilla-ettes.
Is there a trick?
Milo, if the tortillas stuck to the wax paper, you may have just needed a little more flour. Try letting the dough rest 20 minutes in plastic wrap, then rolling each up into a ball before pressing out. If you can keep the edges from getting raggedy, then they’re less likely to tear.
About flavoring rice, pastas, beans, etc. - at BJ’s and some restaurant supply stores you can get a product called “Soup Base”. It keeps without refrigeration and comes in many flavors. You can use it to make soups, chowders, gravies, and to season rice, beans and pasta. BJ’s has beef and chicken, while restaurant suppliers have bacon, pork, ham, olive, pepper, roasted vegetables, roasted garlic, lobster, fish and clam. It’s made from real ingredients which have been boiled down to make a paste and is the secret of your favorite restaurant’s chef :) And you can get versions that are low sodium. You only need a teaspoon of the base to flavor an entire dish, or make a quart of broth for noodles.
They have Tones chicken and beef at Sam’s but, while it will do in a pinch, it’s drier and less flavorful than Minor’s (Major’s is also a good brand).
Onion soup mix (a teaspoon will do - don’t need the whole package) is good for seasoning dry rice and pastas, too. I’ve been tossing a handful of dehydrated mixed veggies (corn, peas, diced carrots and limas) onto pasta with some red pepper base, chicken base and spaghetti seasoning for a quick lunch. Yumm.
The Minor’s site is at SoupBase.
‘’kathyinfl:
Thanks, I guess I’ll keep them. It just seemed weird and a really short date! None of my smaller bags have expiration dates.
ozgirl:
I posted this on the 28 day thread. I think this is what you were looking for. I use a rolling pin, and you do need to let it rest in plastic wrap. They are far superior to store bought.’‘
Here is a recipe for tortillas, that I have used a lot. Much better that from the store, and always have stuff in pantry!
Flour Tortillas
2 C. all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c veg. shortening 1/2 c warm water
1. Mix flour and salt. Rub in shortening with fingers til it has a fine, even texture. Stir in water until dough forms.
2. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth and elastic, 2–3 min. Let rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temp, 30 min.
3. Knead a few times. divide into 8 pieces for 10″ or 12 pieces for 8″. Roll each in a ball and cover with plastic to keep from drying out. Using rolling pin, or totilla press, flatten out to size. Stack between sheets of waxed paper.
4. Heat ungreased heavy griddle or skillet (my cast iron skillet is great!) over med high heat, until a sprinkle of water dances. cook 1 tortilla until top is bubbly and bottom is flecked with brown, @ 20–30 sec. Flip, cook another 15–30 seconds, until speckled. Press with spatula, if puffing up.Put in foil til rest are done. Can keep in a warm (250 degrees) oven up to 30 minutes, but best used immediately.
Corn Tortillas
2 cups masa harina (I can buy “bobs red mill” in my grocery, also trader joes & whole foods, & mexican section or grocer) 1 to 1 1/4 c water
Add just enough water to make a stiff dough. Best to use tortilla press. Basically, follow above directions - though no need to knead and rest.
courtesy:”mexican cooking class cookbook” 1984
Bronco Bill – at 20:36
Cute BB … real cute. I think I’ll pass, if I don’t need new glasses now, I’ll need them after trying to read all those beans. LOL!
Here are some recipies using pinto beans developed by New Mexico State University:
http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-213.html
The mock pumpkin pie and pinto bean fudge sound interesting….
Not sure if this is the right place, but I just wanted to share something I learned recently. I’ve been trying to go mostly vegetarian and use just grains, rice, and dairy for protein. While focusing on figuring out the protein angle, I totally forgot that iron is another of the difficult nutrients to get from a vegetarian diet.
I looked it up in Laurel’s Kitchen (vegetarian cookbook) and learned that when you don’t have a lot of meat in your diet the best way to ensure adequate iron intake is to cook in cast iron pots! Apparently a significant amount leaches into the food, particularly foods that simmer for a long time. The book also pointed out that when a diet is high in fiber, as it would be if you are eating a lot of whole grains and beans, you need a higher amount of iron than otherwise.
Just thought I’d mention this in case it’s helpful for anyone.
Pat in AZ,
This is important. I went vegetarian in grad school and came down with a raging case of anemia.
I meant “grains, BEANS, and dairy for protein” if that wasn’t obvious.
Melanie – at 22:37 Pat in AZ,
This is important. I went vegetarian in grad school and came down with a raging case of anemia.
Sheesh. I was in grad school and went pregnant, divorced, unemployed, anemic and broke in one fell swoop!
But here to tell the tale!
Jefiner,
Did all of that but the pregnant part.
Melanie – at 02:06 Jefiner,
Did all of that but the pregnant part.
I hear you—the pregnant part was worth it, but I spend a lot of time worrying about the now mature fetus—a sailor in the USN. I’m heading out Virginia way to see him next week, so I am going from a dry heat to a humid heat. I have to admit I am a little edgy about traveling, but will take my basic BOB.
BTW, I have been finding the best cheep preps at Big Lots. Chicken/Tomato bouillon, all manner of rice and beans, canned dolmes, aseptic packaged hummus, baba ganoush and kalamata olives, both spreads and whole. Check out the international food aisle; the prices are generally 30% less than your local store.
Worried in the City at 16:18 - rolled newspaper logs don’t need glue, but, wire twist ties hold them together ok.
(notes how to soften very old dried beans to get them to cook…)
Black Bean and Olive Chicken Corn Chowder
1 15oz can of black beans, NOT drained 1 small can of black olives, NOT drained 1/2 onion, chopped 1 potato, peeled and diced small 3/4 cup frozen or canned corn 1 cup milk 1/2 c dry mashed potato flakes 1 T chicken boullion powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 c chopped leftover chicken
Salt and pepper as needed
Spin in a blender 1/2 the can of beans, the olives and olive juice and the onion. Put blender contents and rest of beans in a large sauce pan and add the milk, corn, and diced potato. Season. Simmer gently, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and heat through; thicken soup if desired with instant mashed potato flakes. Can serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives on top.
This is a very satifying soup — one large mug did me for dinner! It’s a recipe in progress… any suggestions for additional seasonings are welcome! (I wanted to try smoke flavor but didn’t have any to hand.)
How about lentil recipes? Also I read in our local paper that cumin is good in lentils. Any thoughts?
lohrewok — mmm, I put cumin in a good ginger-carrot soup I make, that might work. Love that sweaty-man cumin aroma! LOL! For a good lentil recipe, check about halfway back in this thread for my wonderful (IIMSSM) lentil curry soup. :)
Basic Cooked Lentils
1 lb brown or green lentils (about 2.5 cups) 8 c water 1/2 small onion 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 bay leaf
Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and let cool, remove onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
I didn’t have bay leaf so substituted chopped fresh oregano. Served it over brown rice. The recipe is from Joy of Cooking.
I’ve been trying to make tortillas at home and have been getting a bit better each time — it is worth the effort, what I’ve been making so far is yummy but just doesn’t taste much like tortillas you buy — tastes like a cross between pie crust and pizza dough!
I’m going to try them with shortening instead of oil and see how we do.
One great resource I’ve found on-line is www.penzeys.om I think — good cheap bulk spices; I got some taco seasoning and some INdian spice mixes — I *CAN* mix my own spices and often do, but if I am cooking beans, rice and maybe tortillas and roti (indian brad) from scratch I figure I’ll want to cut corners somewhere! And it adds a little easy variety to meals.
Melanie and Jefiner — Gosh, NOT making a great case for grad school! (-:
I recently bought The Can Opener Gourmet by Laura Karr as a source for recipes to guard against food fatigue. It’s a great resource to compliment your bean/rice recipes. Many recipes require no fresh ingredients, which will come in handy when having to rely totally on canned/dried goods. I have no connection to the author, am just a challenged in the kitchen…
re: cooking in cast iron pots to increase iron in your diet. Some foods get more iron from pots than others. I know tomato sauces and soups get more iron than average. Perhaps it’s acidic foods in general that get more iron.
I would like to know if anyone knows if the cast iron pots have to be plain cast iron, or would you get the same effect from enameled cast iron like Le Creuset pots.
Grad school: I remember eating lots of vegetarian chili. Chili on baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, steamed rice, on pasta, on toast, baked layered with corn tortillas and cheese to resemble some sort of lasagna-like stuff . . . I didn’t end up with health problems of any sort, but I remember going home one summer and friends laughed at me because I was so pale. No tan whatsoever, from all my time spent in the library.
‘’ crfullmoon – at 10:08
Worried in the City at 16:18 - rolled newspaper logs don’t need glue, but, wire twist ties hold them together ok. ‘’
I’ve been saving my newspapers to do this, but I would NOT recommend using any glue = toxic fumes. I also think that you only want to use the colored pages that aren’t shiny ( usually the comics, etc, are okay because they use vegie dyes -but call your newspaper and find out) again, because of fumes. I read somewhere that basting with leftover oil helps them burn longer/better.) You can use wire or get this nifty machine from lehmans:
Still haven’t figured out why the large bag of beans that I bought from Sams had an expiration date on it. The new bags they just got in don’t have a date. Maybe I’ll just return and get a new bag. I also bought the minute rice for the same reason - low energy needed. I still have the majority of my rice as the normal kind ( i think it’s better) but also wanted some that could be cooked quick. I haven’t tried it yet, but I wonder if it would “reconstitute” without heat, or maybe in the sun (i don’t have a solar cooker, but I have a black crockpot insert that I could try this in - but if someone has tried this, then I won’t use my preps!!).
Milo-
I think that the benefit from a cast iron pot only works from the original - the enamel would keep out the reaction. You aren’t supposed to use toamtoes or anyrhing acidic in these pots. Mine are the new preseasoned from lodge and are great!
average concerned mom-
Have you tried my tortilla recipe above? I’ve never had problems with them and prefer them to store bought. They are similar to the ones you get from good mexican restaurants. I do use only crisco- i don’t like the taste of cheaper/other shortenings.
preppie chick — I’m going to try your recipe with the Crisco — I’ve been using Canola oil, and the result has been tasty but not really tortilla-like! Practice makes perfect!
And very cheap. I buy 12 whole wheat tortillas at Trader Joes for about $1.50 I think but can feed my family on just 6 homemade tortillas for about $0.25. Little things like this make living off of “preps” SOOO much cheaper — all the savings add up.
Milo--- it is the contact cast iron that has the iron uptake benefits. Iron uptake is also enhanced by having Vit C source with it.
I think I would be suspicious of the big bagobeans with the 06 expy date. beans don’t really expire-the worst Ive encountered was they just get stale and kind of tough so you have to cook thhem longer-but I’m wondering, with this date if they arn’t allreadyold to start with and have been re-packaged?
I also went veggie during Grad school. At one point a friend treated me to a meal out at a steak house and I was physically ill just from the smell!
Hubby and I ate A LOT of lentils our first couple of years together. Then we went through a spell where he wouldn’t touch them-just completely burned out.
This is a great thread! We eat a lot of beans and rice but I have found some great new things to try, I want to try the tortillias.
Pat in Az-I’m trying to head my family back into a veggie diet-though it won’t be totally veggie. I have two teens so I’m concerned about anemia and other deficentcies. My sister spent two years in the D.R.-living mostly on beans and rice and she said people there often added eggs to thier beansnrice either poached on top, or served fried on the side. Eggs are a good source of B-12-the lack of which can cause anemia.
Bump for addition to Wiki Recipes page
Bronco,
Where does one get bulk quantities of red beans? I can’t find ‘em. Costco has a bazzillion tons of pinto beans, but no red beans.
Ideas?
Surfer – at 08:32
I’m just getting back onto the puter after several days away … however, when I’m looking specifically for red beans, I look in the Hispanic section of the grocery aisles. They can also be called “pink” beans.
Closed for length, but Part II opened here
Kathy in FL – at 09:22 copied to new thread