I Dare You To Eat It

Another cold, rainy, almost the end of May day here in Utah and I needed something BIG, quick, and hearty to feed the masses.

Fresh Ingredients

8 oz. fat free cream cheese

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

Storage Ingredients

4 cups dry macaroni

1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz.)

1 cup dry powdered milk

1/4 cup dry minced onion

1 cup water (Plus another cup of water reserved from the cooked pasta.)

2 cans white beans (15 oz. each)

1 large can marinara/pasta sauce (32 oz.)

1 cup cooked whole wheat berries

Start by heating a large pot of salted water. Boil macaroni for 7 minutes.

In another pot, heat the cream of mushroom soup, powdered milk, dry minced onion, cream cheese, and 1 cup of water.

Brown the sausage (remove casings first), drain fat, and add the cooked whole wheat berries and pasta sauce.

The macaroni should be ready by now but reserve 1 cup of the salted cooking water before draining the pasta. Add this cup of hot water to the cream of mushroom cheese sauce so that it’s not too thick.

Drain beans and combine with the drained macaroni and mushroom cheese sauce.

Lightly butter a large dripper pan and layer both mixtures just as you would for lazagna. Using half of the pasta and bean mixture, begin with a layer of white. Then add half of the sausage wheat marinara for a layer of red.

Repeat.

“Card, party of 50? Your table is ready.”

Today was a doozy so I prepared this casserole in the morning, covered it with foil and refrigerated until later. Finally returning home, I heated it, still covered, for 2 hours at 350 degrees. Of course you normally wouldn’t need to heat it so long. I’m sure it would even microwave well if layered in 2 or 3 glass pie pans.

I served it with pan seared carrots and zucchini and a real simple spinach salad. Everyone said it was great and enjoyed two big servings. SIL Chas (served his mission in Italy) helped himself to three servings. Guess it hit the spot on this cold soggy day. The big girls couldn’t believe it was so creamy-cheesy with only 1 cup of fat free cream cheese, and no other added cream, butter, or cheese. Samantha said the white beans were yummy. Everyone agreed that the wheat virtually disappeared into the sausage mixture. Hearty, healthy and happy. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

If you need to feed the Young Men or the Young Women or just the neighborhood this one might do the trick. Lots of yummy food for very little money. Using pasta, beans, wheat, soup, sauce, powdered milk, and dehydrated onions from my food storage. No biggie.

A couple of my daughters have given this recipe a prominent nickname but really it’s just a simple food storage meal that tastes surprisingly similar to the extra creamy macaroni and cheese served at this restaurant chain.

Fresh Ingredients

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Storage Ingredients

2 cups dry macaroni

1 cup Alfredo sauce (Buying the 3-pack of sauce from Costco makes it perfect for my three-month supply.)

1 cup water

1/2 cup powdered milk

*or substitute 1 cup evaporated milk for the water and powdered milk

Boil pasta in salted water for about 7 minutes. If using powdered milk, reserve 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid and then drain the pasta. Return both the reserved water and the pasta to the pan and stir in the powdered milk, Alfredo sauce, and Parmesan cheese. (If you’re using evaporated milk drain all the water before adding the other ingredients.) Transfer to a small cake pan or casserole dish and top with the grated cheddar cheese. Cover with plastic and microwave for 2-3 minutes until all the cheese is melted on top.

I like to serve this dish with a healthy side of sauteed spinach

and fresh tomatoes. The whole meal can be ready in less than fifteen minutes and that’s much quicker than driving to the nearest restaurant and waiting for our order to be prepared.

A dash of nutmeg is nice on top as we enjoy a yummy dinner and the money we just saved.

“YOOOOU, USE YOUR FOOD STORAGE?”

Yes, I really  use my food storage and it saves me money EVERY SINGLE WEEK! For example, last week I picked up a Costco roasted chicken ($5.99?) and served it with…something…and something else. I don’t remember. (Dang…where was I headed with this?)

Oh yea! The next day I put the whole leftover chicken, bones and all, in my crock-pot, covered it with water, and set the temperature on high heat. After 3 or 4 hours of gentle boiling, I drained all the broth, returned it to the crock-pot, and separated the juicy chicken pieces from the muck and bones. Then I added about 2 cups of diced carrots and 2 cups of diced celery to the broth and set the heat on low. A couple hours later, when the vegetables were just starting to get tender, I threw in about one and a half cups of dry macaroni from my long-term storage, a few shakes of dried parsley flakes, and a little salt and pepper. As soon as the macaroni was cooked I stirred in 1 cup of dry powdered milk so that the soup would be extra creamy and fresh tasting.

Because the soup took so little effort and time to prepare, aaaaand I happen to have way too much white flour on hand, I experimented with a new bread recipe and was able to serve a simple supper of hot chicken soup and freshly baked bread. http://www.mormonchic.com/recipe/recipebox/pages/bread_yeast.asp

All in all, there was no cost to this meal that easily served my family three times. The chicken was leftover from the night before and the fresh vegetables were leftover from who knows when. The ingredients that came from my food storage were the white flour, oil, honey, salt, you know–for the bread, and the macaroni, powdered milk, and spices for the soup. That seems free because I didn’t have to spend fresh money.

So, eating food storage doesn’t have to be weird! In fact, nothing could be more normal than homemade chicken soup and fresh bread. And I like knowing that I can prepare a satisfying meal from the supplies in my home. Even if I didn’t have the leftover roasted chicken and fresh vegetables I could have made a similar soup using my dehydrated carrots, onions, and canned chicken chunks. No, it wouldn’t be exactly the same, but it would be familiar and something I know my family could enjoy, especially if there wasn’t another option.

Using my food storage right now means I’m also getting a tiny bit better at the whole homemaking gig. I’m still not a fantastic cook but I know how to use the food we’ve got stored and I’m really enjoying the financial advantages that always come from provident living. If you haven’t tried this, just set a goal to cook one dish that uses either wheat, rice, beans, pasta, or potatoes in combination with normal, everyday, ingredients from the grocery store. If you need a little help with finding a recipe you can check out the recipe page on this website for ideas that will get you rolling. I think you’ll discover that using your food storage really isn’t so scary after all! Like I always say, if I can do this, anyone can do it. Just ask my friends.

Fresh Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

grated cheddar cheese

Storage Ingredients

1 lb. penne pasta (or you could substitute macaroni)

1 jar prepared spaghetti sauce (26-32 oz.)

1 can Hunts basil, garlic and oregano tomato paste (6 oz.)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning spice blend

dried parsley flakes

garlic salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef. Drain fat if needed, then season the meat very well with garlic salt and pepper. Add the spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, water and spices. Blend well then simmer on low heat while you cook the pasta. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water, then drain and return to pot. Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta, taste for seasoning, and add more garlic salt and pepper if needed. Spoon into casserole dish and top with the grated cheese. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes depending on pan size and whether pasta has been refrigerated before baking. The penne pasta dresses it up a little bit but macaroni from your long-term food storage works equally well.

This recipe comes from my great friend, Bonnie, and I appreciate her sharing. She told me that she’s been making this penne pasta dish for years but never thought about it being a food storage recipe, until recently. “It’s a great Sunday dinner or company dish as it can be assembled a day or two ahead of time, it makes a lot so there are always yummy leftovers for lunches, and my kids love it.”

Bonnie is a highly trained, skilled nurse and mother of three small children, AND she really cares about the food she prepares for her family. Six months ago, Bonnie asked me to answer some food storage questions for her. She came to my house, sat on my couch, and let me walk her through the system that’s worked for me. Now she’s making regular trips to the dry-pack cannery, working on her food storage binder, and learning all the wonderful advantages of food storage. She’s designing what makes sense for her family.

Thanks again, Bonnie. You’re a great example!

Fresh Ingredients

1-2 cups cheese, grated

4 green onions, sliced

Storage Ingredients

2 cups macaroni, uncooked

1 can chili with beans (15 oz.)

1 can tomato soup (10 3/4 oz.)

Boil macaroni in salted water for 7-9 minutes and then drain. Add chili and tomato soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and sliced green onions.

One of our good friends is an Institute Director in southern California. He and his wife visited our home during the holidays and I keep thinking about something he mentioned while we were together. He said he was concerned that today’s youth think that the way we get food is to drive up to a window and say, “Yea, I’ll have a number 7, please.”

This little recipe for Chili Mac could help with that problem. The macaroni is a long-term storage ingredient, the cans of chili and tomato soup are three-month supply ingredients, and it’s easy enough for a child to prepare. Have at it!

Fresh Ingredients

2 small zucchini, diced

1 1/2 c. frozen mixed vegetables

2 cloves crushed garlic

Storage Ingredients

1 c. macaroni

3 cans chicken broth (14.5 oz.)

1 can crushed tomatoes with Italian seasoning (15 oz.)

1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)

Boil all the ingredients together just until zucchini and macaroni are tender, about 8-10 minutes, being careful not to over cook. Divide into serving bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Heidi said I could share this recipe. You can visit her site at www.franticallysimple.com This is flat-out the best minestrone soup I’ve ever tasted and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to prepare. You have to try this recipe and tell me what you think. Cozy never tasted so good.

Fresh Ingredients

• 1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced ¼”
• 2 c. grated Swiss cheese (8 oz.)
• 2 T. butter, melted

Storage Ingredients

• 1 c. macaroni
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (10 ¾ oz.)
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
• 2 T. dry minced onion
• 1 T. prepared mustard
• 1 jar sauerkraut (32 oz.)
• ¾ c. whole wheat bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13” baking dish. First rinse and drain sauerkraut and then spread in prepared dish. Top with uncooked macaroni. Combine soup, milk, onion, and mustard in medium bowl; blend well. Spoon soup mixture evenly over pasta. Top with sausage slices and grated cheese. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle over casserole. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour.

This recipe is perfect for family gatherings and potluck dinners. It’s quick to prepare and has a zesty flavor that adds interest to any buffet. Leftovers store well and can be reheated and enjoyed for days.