Just in Case (61 page)

1
cup rolled oats, uncooked

½ cup molasses

⅓ cup oil

1
tablespoon salt

2
eggs, beaten

3
cup raisins

5
½ cups flour

• Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. In a separate container, combine the boiling water, oats, molasses, oil, and salt. When the oats are lukewarm, stir in the yeast, eggs, and raisins. Gradually mix in the flour. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. When the dough has chilled, shape it into two loaves, place into greased loaf pans, cover, and let rise in a warm place until the loaves have doubled in size, about 2 hours. Then bake for 1 hour at 350°F.

YIELD: Two medium-sized loaves

PRETZELS

1
package yeast

1
⅓ cups warm water

3
tablespoons oil

1
tablespoon honey

1
teaspoon salt

1
cup whole-wheat flour

2
cups white or whole-wheat flour

1
egg, beaten

Coarse salt or sesame seeds

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Beat in the oil, honey, salt, and 1 cup whole-wheat flour. Stir in the white or whole-wheat flour, using just enough to make a soft dough. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Stir down the dough by beating it with twenty-five strokes. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide into twenty-four pieces. Roll each piece into a 9-inch rope and place on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt or sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.

YIELD: Twenty-four pretzels

CHIPPEWA FRY BREAD

2
½
cups flour

1
½
tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

⅓ cup warm water

1 tablespoon dry milk

1 tablespoon oil, plus more for frying

• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the water, dry milk, and oil. Then combine the liquid and dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead four or five times, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Form into eight balls and flatten into rounds. Make a doughnut hole in the center of each round. Lightly flour them, stack them, and cover. Heat 1 inch of oil in skillet. Fry each round one at a time for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, then drain and pat dry. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar for a sweet bread or tomato sauce and cheese for mock pizzas.

YIELD: Eight servings

PITA BREAD

1 teaspoon yeast

1 ¼ cups warm water

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, and mix with flour and salt. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and divide into six balls. Knead each until smooth and round. Flatten each ball with a rolling pin until it is X inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Cover the rounds with a towel and let them rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Turn the rounds upside down and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake in a very hot oven (450 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes, until puffed and just beginning to brown.

• You can also fry the pita rounds, which will produce something more like a thick tortilla than a pita pocket.

YIELD: Six pitas

CORN TORTILLAS

2 cups flour

2 cups cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons oil

1 ⅓ cups warm water

• Mix together all ingredients. Place the dough on a floured board and knead until it is pliable and no longer sticky. You may need to add a bit more water to get the dough to a kneadable consistency. If so, add only a teaspoonful at a time. Break off golf ball-size pieces of dough. Roll them out into circles about 6 to 8 inches round. Fry on both sides in very little oil, flipping the tortillas when they begin to brown.

YIELD: Approximately twelve tortillas

FLOUR TORTILLAS

5
cups flour

½ cup shortening (preferably nonhydrogenated vegetable)

1
teaspoon salt

1
½
-2
cups hot water

• Combine all ingredients, and mix until the dough feels pliable. Pinch off golf ball-size pieces of dough and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball flat into a 6-inch round, and fry on both sides in a dry skillet. ¼ Castiron skillet works best.)

YIELD: Approximately twelve tortillas

BEER BISCUITS

2 cups flour, sifted

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4
tablespoons cold shortening (preferably nonhydrogenated vegetable)

3
tablespoons sugar

1
can beer (even warm or stale beer works fine)

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening, then mix in the sugar and beer. Drop into muffin tins or knead in a bit more flour, roll out, and cut into biscuits. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned.

YIELD: Twelve biscuits

NOODLES

1
egg, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

2
tablespoons milk

1
cup flour

• Combine all ingredients, using enough flour to make a very stiff dough. Roll out the dough very thin on a floured board; let stand 20 minutes. Roll up loosely; cut into strips. Spread out to dry, which takes about 2 hours. You can cook the noodles at this point, or you can let them dry until they are crisp and then store them in an airtight container in a cool place.

YIELD: Four servings

RICH EGG NOODLES

6
egg yolks

6
tablespoons water

1
teaspoon salt

3
cups flour

• Beat the eggs with the water. Mix in the salt and flour, using enough flour to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll out very thin on a floured board. Let the dough dry for a few minutes. Cut into even strips. Cover the back of a chair with a fresh, clean dish towel, and hang the strips of dough over the towel until dry, about 20 minutes. You can cook the noodles in water or broth or add them as-is to soups at this point, or you can let them dry until brittle and store them in an airtight container in a cool place.

YIELD: Four servings

DUMPLINGS

I always add these dumplings to chicken and gravy. They can also be cooked in fruit sauce.

1 ½
cups flour

2
teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

3
tablespoons shortening (preferably nonhydrogenated vegetable)

⅓
cup milk

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening, then add the milk, stirring only until blended. Add spoonfuls to hot stew and simmer gently for 10 minutes uncovered and 10 minutes covered. Serve at once.

YIELD: Twelve to fifteen dumplings

YEAST CORN BREAD

1
package yeast

¼ cup warm water

2
cups milk

⅓ cup lard

⅓ cup sugar

2
eggs, well beaten

1
teaspoon salt

4
cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Scald the milk by placing it in a pan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Be careful not to let the milk boil. Put the lard and sugar in a mixing bowl, and pour the milk over them, stirring until the lard melts. Let cool, then add the eggs, salt, and yeast. Mix well, then stir in the flour and cornmeal. Let rise in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough between two greased loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes, until quite brown on top. Let this bread sit for about 20 minutes before you slice it.

YIELD: Two loaves

QUICK SOURDOUGH BREAD

3
tablespoons instant potato flakes

¾ cup sugar

2½
cups warm water

1
teaspoon dry yeast

½
cup plus 2 tablespoons oil

1
tablespoon salt

6-7
cups flour

• Mix the potato flakes, sugar, 1 cup of the warm water, and the yeast in a large bowl. Cover and let stand overnight.

• The next morning, combine V cup of the oil, the salt, the remaining 1V cups warm water, and the flour, and stir into the yeast mixture. Cover and let rise until doubled, then punch down and divide into thirds. Knead each piece a few times and shape into loaves. Place in small, 8- by 4-inch loaf pans. Brush with the remaining oil and let rise again.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, until browned. The loaves should feel quite dry on the top.

YIELD: Three small loaves

DESSERTS

I
T TAKES ABOUT
2,000 calories a day to keep an average adult up and running. During a crisis, a person who is hauling wood and water or shoveling out a couple of feet of snow will need more. Desserts can fill in gaps not just calorically but also nutritionally.

EASY LAYERED BARS

½ cup butter

1
½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1
can sweetened condensed milk

2
cups chocolate chips

1
cup flaked coconut
1
cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle on the graham cracker crumbs and pour the condensed milk over the crumbs. Next, layer the chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Press down firmly. Bake about 30 minutes, until set. Cool before cutting into bars.

YIELD: Approximately eighteen bars

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

1
¼ cups honey

1
½ cups peanut butter

4
cups powdered milk

Chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, crushed graham crackers, raisins, or any other extras you may enjoy

• Mix together all ingredients and roll into walnut-size balls. Chill until firm.

YIELD: Approximately eighteen balls

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

1
tablespoon cornstarch

1
teaspoon water

½ cup milk

1
tablespoon butter

1
pound brown sugar

3
tablespoons white sugar

1
teaspoon vanilla

1
(8-ounce) jar peanut butter

Whisk the cornstarch into the water and set aside. Warm the milk and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, and then stir in the sugars until dissolved. Heat the mix until the temperature reads 234°F on a candy thermometer, or the mix is at the soft-ball stage ¼ thread of the mix dropped into very cold water should hold its shape until you pick it up, at which time it will flatten out). Stir in the corn-starch mixture and remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and peanut butter. Pour into an 8-inch square pan. Let cool, then cut into squares.

YIELD: Approximately nine servings

BREAD PUDDING

4
cups leftover bread, cubed

1 cup raisins

4
eggs

½ cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups milk

½ cup maple syrup or molasses

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes in a greased 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle with raisins. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl with sugar, nutmeg, milk, and syrup. Pour this over the bread and bake for about an hour. When done, the pudding should be brown and crispy on the top but still moist on the inside.

YIELD: Four servings

PEANUT BUTTER CORNFLAKE COOKIES

1
cup sugar