Just in Case (58 page)

A word about the directions: I often list baking times and temperatures as though I am cooking in a standard oven. Times and temperatures are difficult to predict when using alternative cooking methods, so these are only approximations. You will have to experiment some with the cooking methods you choose to use. Bear in mind that some methods such as solar cooking take longer, while a woodstove may run hotter and take less time and need more careful watching.

SEASONING MIXES

P
ACKAGED SEASONING MIXES
are very helpful when cooking with stored foods. With the addition of a cup of water they turn out predictable sauces and gravies that transform otherwise bland meals into something special. Their only drawback is cost; those little packets are an expensive way to buy spices. It’s easy to make your own from spices you probably have in your kitchen right now. I’ll give here the ingredients for three of my favorites.

MEXICAN SEASONING MIX

This mix is good for flavoring beans or chicken.

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

2 teaspoons dried green peppers

1
teaspoon chili powder

1
teaspoon cornstarch

1
teaspoon dried garlic

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon dried hot pepper

½ teaspoon oregano

ITALIAN SEASONING

This mix is particularly good in sauces or meatloaf.

1
tablespoon cornstarch

1
tablespoon dried green pepper

1
tablespoon dried onion

1
tablespoon parsley flakes

½ tablespoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon basil

¼ teaspoon marjoram

¼ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon sage

¼ teaspoon thyme

ONION SOUP FLAVORING

This mix is also good in meatloaf or as a sauce for pot roast.

4
beef bouillon cubes

8
teaspoons dried onion

SUBSTITUTIONS

This chart will help you figure out how to subtitle what you have for what you need, focusing on storage foods.

BREAKFAST

I
N A TIME
of crisis, you want to start the day with a good breakfast. Not only will you need the calories and nutrition, but the morale boost is invaluable. And though these are all traditional breakfast foods, of course they don’t have to be limited to breakfast. Pancakes for dinner can be a welcome treat.

CORNMEAL MUSH

Cornmeal mush sounds awful but it is really delicious on a cold winter morning. The leftovers, packed in bread tins and cooled, can be sliced, dipped in flour, and fried crisp and delicious in oil for an evening meal or bedtime snack, served with syrup.

1
cup cornmeal

4
cups water

1
teaspoon salt

• Combine the cornmeal and water. Bring to a boil, add the salt, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with evaporated milk and sugar.

YIELD: Ten ½-cup servings

BUTTERMILK JOHNNYCAKE

We like these cakes served with eggs for a hearty breakfast.

2
cups cornmeal

1
teaspoon baking soda

1
teaspoon salt

2
tablespoons vegetable oil or other fat

2
eggs, well beaten

2 cups sour milk (add 2 teaspoons vinegar to 2 cups milk), 2 cups buttermilk, or 1 cup milk mixed with 1 cup plain yogurt

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the corn-meal, baking soda, and salt. Warm the oil or melt the fat, then stir in the eggs, milk, and cornmeal mixture. Pour into an 8-inch square greased pan or into muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is cooked through and the top is golden.

YIELD: Six servings

SWEET CORN BREAD

A good corn bread recipe should be in every cook’s collection. This recipe, along with the johnnycake recipe above, is from a Depression-era cookbook.

1
cup flour

1
cup cornmeal

3 tablespoons sugar

2
teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1
cup sour milk (add 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 cup milk)

4
tablespoons vegetable oil

1
egg, beaten

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 10-inch Castiron skillet and put it in the oven to warm. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

YIELD: Four servings

BREAKFAST IDEA

Plain cooked rice, served with evaporated milk and sugar or honey, makes a good breakfast.

SCRAMBLED FRENCH TOAST

You don’t want to waste anything during a crisis. This recipe uses up leftover bread, like the heel pieces. You can even toss in stale biscuits or corn bread.

2 or 3
eggs (dehydrated eggs will work fine)

1/2 cup milk

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Bread, torn into small pieces or crumbled

• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the milk. Add generous sprinkles of nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in pieces of torn bread or crumbled biscuits until the mixture cannot absorb any more liquid. Fry about
^l
A
cup at a time on a hot, greased skillet.

YIELD: Four servings

HOT CEREAL

This recipe calls for rice or wheat powder, which you can make by processing rice or wheat berries in a blender (a few spoonfuls at a time) or with a hand cranked grain mill. The powder will not be as fine as flour. Rice and wheat powders are excellent storage foods; you can make them in batches and store them in airtight containers. Brown rice and wheat powder should be stored in the freezer or in the coolest location in your home, while white rice powder can be stored at room temperature. Use regular rice, not instant.

2
cups water

Dash of salt

⅔ cup powdered milk

½ cup rice or wheat powder

• Bring the water and salt to a boil. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the powdered milk and rice or wheat into the boiling water. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until thickened.

YIELD: Four servings

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Pancakes are an obvious choice for breakfast, as all of the ingredients are easily stored. If you don’t have a mix on hand (see the mix recipe on page 218), try this easy recipe. Save the leftovers. They are tasty rolled with peanut butter and jelly for lunch.

1
cup buttermilk, sour milk (1 cup milk mixed with 1 teaspoon vinegar), or yogurt

1 ½
cups flour

1
tablespoon vegetable oil

2
eggs

1
tablespoon sugar

1
teaspoon baking soda

½
teaspoon salt

• Mix together all ingredients. Fry ladlefuls of the batter in batches on a hot, greased griddle.

YIELD: Four servings

SQUASH PANCAKES

These taste a lot better than they sound, and they carry a hefty dose of vitamins.

2
cups pureed squash or pumpkin (whether from a can or pureed from squash or pumpkin you have in storage)

2
cups milk

1
cup flour, sifted

1
tablespoon sugar

1
egg, beaten

Dash of salt

• Mix together all ingredients. Fry ladlefuls of the batter in batches on a hot, greased griddle.

YIELD: Six servings

BREAD AND MILK

Bread and milk is a routine breakfast at my house. Toast some bread and spread with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Tear into pieces and eat with warm milk.

OATMEAL AND APPLES

Old-fashioned oatmeal is a great storage food. A lot of kids want only the gummy stuff that comes in single-serving sizes. It is absurdly expensive: a 1 ½-ounce packet of oatmeal with a little sugar and some cinnamon costs over forty cents! A 42-ounce canister of rolled oats, on the other hand, costs just over three dollars and makes thirty-one servings, at a cost of about ten cents apiece. You can buy rolled oats in bulk from a co-op for even less. If your kids must have the little packets, blend some oatmeal with the spices they like, a few raisins, maybe some chopped dried apples, and a teaspoon of sugar and pop it in a sandwich bag. It cooks up in boiling water just like the expensive stuff. Better still, save the bags and try this recipe.

1
cup oatmeal (not the quick-cooking kind)

2
cups water

½ teaspoon salt

Apples (grated if fresh, chopped if dried)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

• Combine the oatmeal, water, and salt. Bring to boil, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the apples and cinnamon. Cover and cook till apples are done. Serve with honey and milk or brown sugar and cinnamon. If you like, top with raisins or walnuts.

YIELD: Four servings

SOUP

S
OUPS ARE AN
ideal family survival food. They cook well in a solar oven, and the recipes are not fancy. A bit more or a bit less of anything won’t matter, and diners can season their own bowls as they see fit. Soup is easy to stretch; add an extra can of mixed vegetables and another cup of bouillon and you can feed two more. Leftover soup from lunch, thickened with some cornstarch and water, is the basis for a supper casserole. Add a loaf of bread or a pan of biscuits and everybody is happy. What follows are just soup ideas to get you started.