1 7-oz. can SPAM® Classic, finely chopped
1 8-oz. can cream-style corn
1 large egg
1 C. milk
1 C. pancake mix
1 T. vegetable oil
In medium bowl, combine pancake mix, milk, corn, egg and oil. Stir in SPAM® Classic. On greased griddle, pour batter using 1/3 C. for each pancake; cook over medium heat until browned on bottom. Turn and brown other side. Serve pancakes with maple or buttered pancake syrup or honey.
4 C. bread flour (or 2 C. bread flour and 2 C. whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 C. room-temperature water
2 whole heads of garlic
1 tsp. olive oil (for roasting garlic)
Pinch of salt (for roasting garlic)
Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting loaf
To roast garlic, slice the very top of the head off, revealing all the individual cloves. Then wrap each head in foil and drizzle in a tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap these little packages up and bake them at 350 degrees until the garlic is really fragrant and tender, about 30 minutes. If you want to test them, you should be able to easily slide a knife into a clove with almost no resistance. Let the roasted heads of garlic cool for a few minutes and then you can squish out each clove of garlic from the papery stuff. For bread dough, combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the roasted garlic and mix it in with your finger tips to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be really wet and saggy. It’ll smell like roasted garlic though which is a good thing and you should be able to see tiny pieces of garlic in the dough. Cover this with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 14-18 hours. When its surface is dotted with bubbles, the dough is ready. At this point you need to form the loaf. Basically, just lightly flour a counter and pour the dough onto the surface. Gently fold it over itself a few times and then form it into a rectangular loaf. Sprinkle a clean towel with a good layer of cornmeal or semolina flour and lay the loaf on the towel, seam side down. Dust with additional corn meal or semolina. Cover this with another clean towel (or just fold the towel over onto the loaf). Let it rise again for about 2 hours. Dough should have more than doubled in size. At least a half hour before dough is ready, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Put a 5- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Put the lid on the pot and cook it for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and cook the loaf for another 15-20 minutes until the loaf is a deep dark brown. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing into it.
2 C. rice (not instant!)
3 1â„3 C. water
1 (1 1/4 oz.) package onion soup mix
3 1â„2 tsp. soy sauce
3 tsp. oil
1 dehydrated Bell Pepper (red/green mix), rehydrated
1 green onion, chopped
0.5 (8 oz.) can mushrooms, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. While oven is heating, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized casserole dish. Stir thoroughly to combine. Place on middle rack in oven, and cook uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until rice is cooked and all water is absorbed.
2 16oz. can Beans
1 can Cranberry Sauce
2 T. Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar or Honey
1 Onion, grated
4 slices bacon (or use shelf stable bits)
Mix first 4 ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish. Lay bacon across top and bake uncovered at 325 for 3 hours.
1/4 rennet tablet
1 quart warm water
3 C. non-instant powdered milk
½ C. buttermilk
In 1 quart warm water, dissolve 14 of a rennet tablet. (Junket is a brand name of rennet that you can find in most grocery stores in the Jell-O section.) Combine water, milk, and buttermilk in blender. Blend 011 low. Add to dissolved rennet-water mixture. Stir well, then let set in warm room 6—12 hours. It is set when it’s firm and has a touch of whey on the sides. When it is set, cut into 14-inch squares and set the bowl in a sink or bigger bowl of hot water. Gently stir the curds at frequent intervals to warm evenly and break up the curds. When they have warmed through and broken into curds and whey, pour through a strainer with a cheesecloth lining. Drain and rinse with cold water until it is cool and well washed. Add salt (around 1 tsp., depending on taste). To make it creamy, you can then add milk and cream.
To make bakers cheese instead, transfer cheese when it has set after 6-12 hours and place in cheesecloth lined colander. Strain out whey until it reaches the consistency of cream cheese. This usually takes 12-24 hours. This can be substituted for most soft cheeses in recipes, especially cream cheese in dips in baked goods.
To do something different with chickpeas, roast them as a snack. Drain 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning. Bake at 375°F until dry and golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely so they get crisp. For a Mexican flavor, replace the Cajun seasoning with 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper.
For beef burritos with a little more oomph, use a combination of browned ground beef and refried beans. Brown 1/2 pound ground beef in a skillet then add 1 can (16 oz.) refried beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes then stir in 3/4 tsp. ground cumin, 3/4 tsp. dried oregano, and 1/4 C. salsa. Bring to a simmer, then add 1 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir to melt. Fill four flour tortillas to make burritos. Or serve warm as a dip.
To fill out a Mediterranean-style pasta dish, add white beans. For instance, boil 1 pound oricchiette or other small pasta until just slightly firm. While the pasta cooks, sauté 2 tsp. finely chopped onion in 1/4 C. olive oil for 2 minutes, then add 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary. Cook for another 30 seconds. Add 1 undrained can (6 oz.) oil-packed tuna and mix well. Cook for another minute. Add 1 C. drained canned cannellini beans and season with 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Heat through and toss with the hot pasta.
To build quesadillas into a more satisfying snack, add black beans. Mix together 1 drained can (15 oz.) black beans, 1/2 C. salsa, 1 tsp. chili powder, and a squirt of lime juice, mashing half of the beans. Spread onto cheddar cheese-topped tortillas in a skillet, cook until browned on the bottom, and fold over before serving.
To stir up a snappy island-style salsa, combine 1 drained can (15 oz.) black beans, 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, 1/2 C. seeded, chopped red bell pepper, 1 tsp. Jerk seasoning, and a squirt of lime juice.
To make a tabbouleh salad more substantial, stir in some chickpeas along with the cooked bulgur, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and parsley.
For a new take on tuna melts, combine 2 drained cans (6 oz. each) tuna, 1 drained can (14 oz.) small white beans, 1/3 C. low-fat creamy Italian vinaigrette, 2 tsp. sliced black olives, 2 sliced scallions, and 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley. Sandwich the filling between bread slices and provolone cheese before toasting on a buttered griddle.
12 oz. lean ground beef
1 15oz. can Corn, drained
1 can (14.5oz.) Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Mild Green Chilies, not drained
1 can (15oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¾ C. water
¾ C. dry elbow macaroni
2 tsps. chili powder
½ C. (2oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in corn, tomatoes, beans, water, macaroni and chili powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 12 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
2 lb. ground beef, or substitute 2 C. cooked whole wheat berries for one lb. the meat
1 medium chopped onion
1/4 C. vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. catsup
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)
1 can water
Brown beef with onion and drain fat. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over hot rice and garnish with grated cheese, kidney beans, shredded lettuce or cabbage, diced celery, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream, and /or corn chips.
1 C. Sugar
6 C. Whole Wheat Flour
3 C. White Flour
1/4 C. Baking Powder
1 1/2 C. Instant Dry Milk Powder
1 tsp. Salt
Combine Ingredients in a large bowl. Mix Well. Store in airtight container. Makes 12 C.
To make Pancakes
2 C. Mix
1 egg
1 1/2 C. Water
3 tsp. oil
Mix all ingredients well. Fold in 1/2 C. optional ingredients like strawberries or chocolate chips and pour onto hot greased griddle. Cook until bubbly on one side; flip and brown the other side
1 C. white cornmeal
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. butter, plus extra for serving
Maple syrup, for serving
Preheat a frying pan or griddle over low-medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the corn meal, sugar and salt. In a microwave-safe bowl or measuring C., or on the stovetop, bring 1-1/2 C. water to a boil, and pour into the cornmeal mixture. Combine with a whisk; the mixture will be very thick, like white polenta. Melt the butter in the preheated pan, and drop the cornmeal mixture by tsp. into the pan. Flatten each one slightly with the back of the spoon. Let the jonnycakes cook, undisturbed, for 6 minutes, until they’re browned and crispy on the bottom. Flip, and cook for 5 minutes more to crisp the other side. Serve hot, with butter and maple syrup.
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ½ inch pieces
1 ½ C. flour
1 beaten egg
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Oil for frying the chicken
1½ C. water
1 small package powdered orange gelatin (not sugar free)
½ C. orange juice or juice of 1 orange
1/3 C. rice vinegar
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
Zest of 1 orange
½ tsp. ginger root, grated
½ tsp. garlic, minced
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. corn starch
¼ C. water
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large bag. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in the flour mixture to coat. Deep fry at 375 degrees until completely cooked. A wok can be used to deep fry. In a large saucepan combine water, gelatin, orange juice, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in zest, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes. Bring to boil. In a separate C., combine cornstarch and water and mix to make a slurry. Add to sauce and bring to boil. Combine with chicken and serve over rice.
1 oz. Mixed Dried Mushrooms (such as earthy delights dried stir fry mushroom mix)
2 C. hot water
2 14-oz. cans coconut milk
2T. Thai red curry paste, or to taste
2 shallots, diced
2T. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 medium carrot, peeled, halved & sliced on diagonal
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed and trimmed
2 C. chicken stock
1T.soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar, or to taste
1 tsp. lime zest
2T.fish sauce
3 T. lime juice
salt & pepper to taste
2 scallions, cleaned and thinly sliced
sprigs of fresh Thai basil
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and add sufficient very hot water to cover them completely. Soak for 20 – 30 minutes or until soft and pliable. Drain, reserving the flavorful soaking liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cool running water to remove any traces of grit. Drain again, squeezing gently, then pat dry. Trim the stems from the shiitake mushrooms with a pair of scissors. Thinly slice all of the mushrooms and set aside. Spoon off 3 – 4 T. the thick coconut cream from the top of the opened cans into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the coconut cream over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Stir in the Thai red curry paste and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the shallots, ginger and sliced carrot to the pot. Bash the lemongrass with the back of a heavy cleaver or knife to break it up a bit and release the flavor. Toss it into the pot with the other vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the sliced reconstituted mushrooms, 2 C. the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, the coconut milk and 2 C. chicken stock. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat slightly so it continues to gently simmer. Stir in the soy sauce and sugar and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup begins to reduce and thicken slightly, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and take out the piece of lemongrass. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice and fish sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions and fresh Thai basil leaves. Serve with sriracha chile sauce on the side for those who like it extra spicy.
Beef & Barley Dinner
1 lb. Ground Meat
1 T. dried minced Onion
16oz. can French cut Green Beans, with liquid
8oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 C. Water
½ C. Pearl Barley
In large skillet, cook ground meat, breaking up large pieces, until cooked through and browned. Drain excess fat. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until barley has softened and swelled – 10-15 minutes. Feel free to add herbs, spices, and / or hot sauce to taste.
2 large eggs, beaten
3 C. cooked short grain rice
2 tsp. oil
½ tsp. onion powder
few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 C. finely diced spam
1 tsp. brown sugar or evaporated cane juice crystals
1-1/2 tsp. lower sodium soy sauce
¾ C. frozen mixed corn and peas
Spray a large non-stick frying pan with non-stick spray and place on medium-high heat. Add eggs. Scramble and cook until done. Remove to a large bowl. Heat oil in the frying pan over medium high heat. Add rice. Sprinkle with onion powder and pepper, then drizzle on oyster sauce. Stir-fry 3-4 minutes until well mixed and heated through. Remove to the bowl with the scramble eggs. Swirl sugar and soy sauce together in the frying pan and place back on medium-high heat. Add spam. Mix and fry until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the spam is browned. Stir in the corn and peas, then add the rice and eggs back in. Stir-fry 3-5 more minutes until well mixed and heated through.
1 C. instant nonfat dry milk powder
1â„4 C. cornstarch
1â„8 C. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1â„2 tsp. salt
1â„2 tsp. white pepper
2 C. parmesan cheese
2 T. dried Italian Herbs, optional
Combine all ingredients well and store in lidded container. To make sauce, per serving, combine ¼ C. mix with 2 tsp. butter or 2 tsp. sour cream and 1â„4 C. milk. (I want to test this mix with butter powder, sour cream powder and reconstituted milk to see if I can make this LTS).
2 lbs. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T. chopped pimento
2 T. parsley
1 T. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1½ T. water
¼ tsp. dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine beans, pimento and parsley in a salad bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Pour dressing over beans. Set aside 30 minutes before serving.
Yield: 10 servings
Calories: 343
Fat: 5.7g
Fiber:
3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 C. lower-salt chicken broth
Two 15-1/2-oz. cans black beans, including liquid
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/4 C. dry sherry, preferably fino
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy-duty pot over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, purée the chicken broth with one can of black beans and bean liquid in a blender. Add the cumin and oregano to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in the black bean purée and the remaining whole beans with their liquid; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer, stirring frequently, until the flavors are melded, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sherry and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Creamy Tomato and Chickpea Soup
4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
4 T. finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
2 cups (400 g) drained cooked or canned chickpeas
6 cups (1.5 liters) water
2 cups (450 g) stewed tomatoes (about 1 1 / 2 14.5-oz/411-g cans)
1 1 / 2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 / 2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 / 2 tsp. ground turmeric
Generous pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
Pour the oil into a large saucepan with a lid and place over medium heat. Add the coriander leaves and onion and sauté for 10 minutes, uncovered. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Purée, then return to the saucepan, adding more water if desired. Reheat and serve.
Pantry-Friendly Spaghetti Pangrattato with Crispy Eggs
Crumbs
2 T. olive oil
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C. fresh or stale coarse plain breadcrumbs (panko worked great here)
Salt and red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
Few fine gratings fresh lemon zest
Crispy Egg
1 glug of olive oil per egg
3 eggs
Salt and pepper
Pasta and Assembly
8 ounces dried spaghetti
1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. small capers, drained (rinsed if salted), chopped
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 C. grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)
Make crispy crumbs (pangrattato): Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and let sizzle for barely a minute, just until it begins to turn a pale golden color. Add breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, rosemary and lemon zest and reduce heat to low, cooking mixture slowly until all of the crumbs are an even golden color, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of well salted water to a generous boil and cook pasta until al dente about 1 to 2 minutes shy of package directions. Reserve 1/2 C. pasta cooking water before draining pasta. Meanwhile, make crispy eggs: Wipe out breadcrumbs skillet. Return to stove over high heat and add a generous glug of olive oil per egg. Once hot enough that the oil begins to smoke, add egg(s). They’re going to hiss and splatter so step back as soon as you do. Spoon some of the cooking oil over the eggs, carefully. Season with salt and pepper. In 1 to 2 minutes, the egg(s) will be brown and very crisp underneath and around the edges. Shimmy a thin spatula underneath the egg(s) (a flexible fish spatula works great here), being careful not to break the yolk. If you’re cooking for someone who shouldn’t be eating runny yolks (ahem), you can flip the egg over and cook it for another 30 seconds or so before removing it. Transfer cooked egg(s) to paper towels to drain. Assemble dish: Once pasta is drained, return it to the empty pot or a large skillet with 1 T. olive oil and a splash or two (or all, if needed to loosen pasta) of reserved cooking water. Over high heat, toss with capers and parsley for 1 minute. Divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle with Pecorino, if using, then 1/3 of breadcrumb (pangrattato) mixture. Place an egg over each dish, and break up with a fork. Eat immediately.