Just in Case (59 page)

CREAM SOUP MIX

I use a lot of soup in my storage recipes. A cream soup can form the base for any number of casseroles. Canned soups are a great time saver, but they do have an extraordinary amount of added salt and often monosodium glutamate (MSG), which a lot of people can’t eat. This cream soup base takes up little storage space; salt can be added at the table.

2
cups powdered milk

¾ cup cornstarch

½ cup chicken bouillon granules

2
teaspoons dried basil

2
teaspoons dried onion flakes

2
teaspoons pepper

• Mix together all ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry location. To reconstitute, mix M> cup of this mix with 2 cups of water. This equals 1 can of commercial cream soup.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

You can substitute rice or dumplings (see page 225) for the noodles in this recipe.

6
cups broth (canned is best, but you can use bouillon also)

12
ounces canned chicken

Carrots

Peas

Celery (dehydrated is fine)

Onion (dehydrated is fine)

Parsley (dehydrated is fine)

1
(12-ounce) package egg noodles

• Bring the broth to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients, bring back to a simmer, and cook until the noodles are done.

YIELD: Four servings

TOMATO SOUP

Canned tomato soup should be in everyone’s pantry because it’s inexpensive and so versatile. But you can also make your own, using fresh, canned, or frozen tomatoes. I promise that it will be superior to any commercial canned soup you have tasted.

1
quart canned whole tomatoes, peeled

½ teaspoon baking soda

2
cups milk

Salt, pepper, dried basil, and butter to taste

• Pour some of the liquid off the tomatoes. (Once you’ve made this soup a few times, you’ll get a feel for how thick you like it

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

You can turn your tomato soup into cream of tomato soup by adding 3 tablespoons of butter (if you’re using butter powder, reconstitute it first) and 3 tablespoons of flour to the warm milk. Stir until thickened, and then add the hot tomatoes and season to taste.

and, thus, how much liquid to pour off the tomatoes.) Then mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or put through a food mill. Stir in the baking soda. In a separate pot, heat the milk (but do not boil). Pour the hot tomatoes into the hot milk, and season to taste. Serve with soda crackers.

YIELD: Four servings

GERMAN POTATO SOUP

3 or i
potatoes, peeled and diced

¼ cup celery or 1 teaspoon celery salt

1
chicken bouillon cube

4
cups milk

1
tablespoon parsley Salt and pepper to taste

• Cook the potatoes and celery in 1A cups of water. Do not drain. Add the bouillon, milk, and seasonings. For a creamy texture, mash the potatoes.

• You can also make this recipe using 2 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes; cook the celery in 1A cups of water and then add the remaining ingredients, mixing well.

YIELD: Four servings

EASY SPLIT-PEA SOUP

12
ounces dried peas

7
cups water A good-sized piece of canned ham

1
onion, chopped

2
bay leaves

12
peppercorns

½
teaspoon salt

• Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Boil gently for 1 hour, or until the peas are soft. Remove bay leaves and peppercorns with a slotted spoon. Whip the soup with a wire whisk, if desired, to blend the peas.

YIELD: Six servings

QUICK VEGETABLE SOUP

1 cup leftover cooked vegetables (spinach, peas, cauliflower, carrots)

1 cup chicken broth

½
cup evaporated milk Curry powder (optional) Worcestershire sauce (optional)

• Mash the vegetables. Blend with the broth and evaporated milk, and if desired, season to taste with the curry powder and/or Worcestershire sauce. Heat and serve.

YIELD: Two servings

HEARTY SOUP STORAGE MIX

1 pound split peas

1 pound pearl barley

1 pound macaroni

1 pound lentils

1 ½ cups basmati rice

• Combine all ingredients and store in a glass jar in a dark, cool location.

HEARTY SOUP FROM STORAGE MIX

You can use home-canned tomatoes in place of the tomato sauce if you cut back on the water.

6
cups water

1⅓ cups Hearty Soup Storage Mix (see above)

’ ½
tablespoons salt

1
onion, chopped

2
carrots, sliced

2
stalks celery, chopped

1 ½
cups shredded cabbage

2
(15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1
(24-ounce) can vegetable juice cocktail or canned tomatoes

1
pound canned ham or canned beef

• Combine the water, soup mix, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1A hours. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

YIELD: Eight servings

CREAM OF ONION SOUP

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2
cups onion, chopped

½ cup flour

1
½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4
cups milk

• Melt the butter in a pot. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and allow to simmer 1 minute.

YIELD: Four servings

CHEDDAR CHOWDER

2
cups water, or enough to cover vegetables

2
cups diced potatoes

¾ cup chopped onion

2
carrots, sliced

½ cup diced celery

¼ cup (half a stick) butter

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon pepper

1
teaspoon seasoned salt

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2
cups milk

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

• Combine the water, potato, onion, carrot, and celery. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender. In a separate pot, melt the butter, then blend in the flour, pepper, salt, and dry mustard. Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. Add the cheese and cooked vegetables. When the cheese has melted and the soup is hot, serve.

YIELD: Four servings

CASSEROLES

C
ASSEROLES ARE EASY
to make from storage foods, and they’re great dishes to turn to when the power is out, since they can be cooked not only in a traditional oven but also in a solar oven or on the back of a woodstove.

Most casserole recipes follow a basic format. You start with a cup of a main ingredient, such as chicken, seafood, or ham. Next, you add a cup of a second ingredient, such as celery, mushrooms, peas, or a mix of vegetables. Usually you also add a starch, such as potatoes, noodles, or rice, unless you plan to top the casserole with dumplings or potatoes. (If you are going to add rice or potatoes, it helps to precook them before adding them to the casserole, as they take longer to cook than the other ingredients.) A cream soup or white sauce is often used as a binder. Toppings can be as simple as crushed potato chips or buttered breadcrumbs. All of these foods can be purchased dried or canned and therefore have a place in your storage pantry.

These are few of our favorite casseroles.

BAKING TEMPERATURES

Some of the casserole recipes don’t list a specific temperature. This is because the specific temperature doesn’t matter; they need only to be heated until bubbly or browned. And remember, if a specific temperature is noted but you’re not using a traditional oven, you may need to adjust the baking time.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

½ cup Cream Soup Mix (see page 211) reconstituted with 2 cups water, or 2 cans cream of chicken soup

12
ounces canned chicken

1
(4-ounce) can mushrooms

8
ounces plain yogurt

1
(15-ounce) can peas

1
cup buttered breadcrumbs

• Combine the soup mix, chicken, mushrooms, yogurt, and peas in a casserole dish. Top with the breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly.

YIELD: Six servings

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

½ cup Cream Soup Mix (see page 211) reconstituted with 2 cups water (2 undiluted cans of cream of celery, chicken, or mushroom soup may be used instead but you will need to thin them with about
^J/
2 cup water)

1
(12-ounce) package egg noodles, cooked al dente and drained

12
ounces canned tuna

1
(4-ounce) can mushrooms

1
(15-ounce) can peas

• Mix together the soup base and water. Combine the soup with the noodles, tuna, and vegetables in a pan or casserole dish and bake in an oven or a solar oven or cook on a stovetop, until bubbly.

YIELD: Six servings

FISH CASSEROLE

Butter

Filleted fish of any kind

Milk

Fine breadcrumbs

Peas, cooked

• Butter a casserole dish well. Arrange the fish in it, and pour just enough milk over the fish to cover it. Top with fine breadcrumbs. Bake until the fish flakes and the crust is brown and bubbly. Serve with cooked peas arranged around the dish.

YIELD: Six servings

HAM AND SCALLOPED POTATO CASSEROLE

This dish is very salty. If you want to reduce the salt content, rinse the ham after cutting it up.

3
cups thinly sliced potatoes (five or six potatoes)

2
tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons butter
A small canned ham, cut into bite-size chunks

½ teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons diced onion

1
cup hot milk

• Boil the potatoes until just cooked, about 8 minutes. Layer in a 10-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the flour and dot with the butter. Add the ham and toss until evenly distributed. Stir the mustard and onion into the hot milk, then pour over the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbly.

• You can substitute a box of dehydrated scalloped potato mix, prepared according to package directions, for the potatoes, flour, and butter.

YIELD: Six servings

BAKED MACARONI AND TOMATOES

1
(14.5-ounce) can diced or stewed tomatoes

2
cups cooked macaroni

Buttered breadcrumbs

• Arrange the tomatoes and macaroni in layers in a casserole dish. Cover generously with buttered crumbs. (You can add dried basil or grated Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs for more flavor.) Bake in a hot oven until the casserole is heated through and the crumbs are brown.

YIELD: Four servings

GARDEN CASSEROLE

This is a good casserole if you have to use up sausage from the freezer.

2
onions, sliced thin

1
potatoes, sliced thin

3
cups canned corn

1
pound pork sausage, browned and drained

1
teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2
cups canned tomatoes
Buttered breadcrumbs

• Grease a casserole dish very well. Add the onions, potatoes, corn, and sausage. Then add the salt and pepper and stir well. Pour the canned tomatoes over everything and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Then remove the cover and continue baking until the topping has browned.