Meals in a Jar (32 page)

Label each bag:

For cornbread or muffins: Preheat the oven to 425°F and butter a baking dish or 12 cups of a standard muffin tin. Combine the cornbread mix and 1-1/4 cups of water. Stir briefly and pour into the prepared baking dish or divide among the muffin cups. Bake an 8 x 8-inch pan of bread for about 25 minutes, a 9 x 13-inch pan for 20 to 25 minutes, and muffins for 15 to 20 minutes. For pancakes, mix as above and cook by 1/4 cupfuls on a medium heat skillet in oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Makes 1 (8 x 8-inch) pan of 2-inch-tall cornbread, or 1 (9 x 13-inch) pan of 1-inch tall cornbread, or about 12 corn muffins
.

Flour Tortillas

Makes 12 sidekits (about 8 tortillas each)

Ingredients

3 cups vegetable shortening

24 cups flour (5 pounds plus 4 cups)

4 tablespoons salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions

For shortening: Wrap 1/4 cup of shortening very well in plastic wrap or place in 4-ounce disposable plastic containers with lids and seal well.

In each of 12 vacuum bags, add and then seal:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 package shortening

Label each bag:

Combine all the dry ingredients, then cut in the shortening. Add 2/3 cup of water and mix well into a ball of dough. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll out each dough piece to 1/8 inch thick. Cook one tortilla at a time in a hot skillet for about 1 minute on each side or until lightly brown in spots. Fill with taco fillings and serve. Makes 8
.

Variation: 4-Tortilla Sidekits

To make smaller sidekits perfect for pairing with 4-serving recipes such as Breakfast Burritos (
page 37
), simply divide the ingredients among 24 vacuum bags, using half the amount of ingredients listed above per bag.

Corn Tortillas

Makes 12 sidekits (about 15 tortillas each)

Ingredients

21 cups masa harina

7 tablespoons salt

Instructions

In each of 12 vacuum bags, add and then seal:

• 1-3/4 cups masa harina

• 1 teaspoon salt

Label each bag:

In a medium bowl, mix together the masa harina and 1-1/8 cups of hot water until thoroughly combined. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and knead until pliable and smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add more masa harina; if it begins to dry out, sprinkle with water. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and allow to stand for 30 minutes
.

Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle to medium-high. Divide the dough into 15 equal-size balls. Using a tortilla press, a rolling pin, or your hands, press each ball of dough flat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap
.

Immediately place a tortilla in the preheated pan and allow to cook for about 30 seconds on one side, or until browned and slightly puffy. Turn the tortilla over to brown on the second side for about 30 seconds more, and then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Makes about 15
.

Naan Bread

Makes 8 sidekits (6 to 8 pieces each)

Ingredients

8 (2-1/4-teaspoon) packages store-bought active dry yeast or 8 packets vacuum-sealed each containing 1/2 tablespoon

1 pound ghee

36 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup dry milk

1/2 cup powdered eggs

3-1/2 tablespoons salt

Instructions

For yeast (if not using store-bought): In each of 8 small vacuum bags or zip-top bags, add and then seal:

• 1/2 tablespoon yeast

For ghee: In each of 8 small jars or disposable containers with lids, seal:

• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) ghee

In each of 8 vacuum bags, add and then seal:

• 1 packet yeast

• 4-1/2 cups flour

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon dry milk

• 1 tablespoon powdered eggs

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 jar ghee

Label each bag:

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1-1/4 cups of warm water. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in the flour, sugar, dry milk, and powdered eggs to make a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead for 6 to 8 minutes, or until smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume
.

Punch down the dough, knead lightly, and pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of golf balls. Roll into balls, cover with the towel, and let rest, for about 30 minutes
.

Meanwhile, preheat a grill, grill pan, or griddle on high heat until hot
.

One at a time, roll dough balls into flat circles, lightly oil the pan or grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush the uncooked sides with the ghee, and turn over. Brush the cooked sides with ghee, and cook until the second sides are browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the grill, and repeat with the remaining dough
.

Syrup Sidekit

A great alternative to maple syrup, this syrup “kit” is less expensive, can be packed dry, and everyone loves it.

Makes 16 (2/3-cup) bags

Ingredients

10-2/3 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

In each of 16 vacuum bags, add and then seal:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• pinch of salt

Label each bag:

To prepare 1 serving, in a small pot, combine packet and 1/3 cup of water, and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved
.

Vegetable Sidekits

Asparagus

Asparagus can be dehydrated or canned. To dehydrate, wash and cut into 1-inch pieces. Dehydrate at 120°F for 5 to 6 hours. To pressure-can asparagus, fill pint- or quart-size jars or retort pouches with asparagus, cover with boiling water, and seal well. Follow USDA pressure-canning guidelines and process 30 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts.

Beans, dry

It is super-convenient and economical to have cooked beans on hand. Cover beans in 2 to 3 times their volume of water and soak for 12 to 18 hours. Drain. In a large pot, cover again with about 3 times the volume of water, salt abundantly (about 2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water), and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Pack in sterilized jars or retort pouches, leaving 1 to 2 inches headspace, with the cooking water up to the level of the beans. Seal well. Follow USDA pressure-canning guidelines and process 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.

1 pound dried beans is the same as about 2 cups, which will yield 4 to 5 cups of cooked beans. When canned, the yield is about 2-1/2 pints or 1-1/4 quarts.

Baked Beans

Combine 1 quart beans canned as above with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Heat gently until heated through and serve.

Beets

Beets need to be boiled, peeled, and possibly chopped depending on size before they are canned or dehydrated. Boil beets in a pot with plenty of water, 15 minutes for small beets, 20 minutes for large beets. Remove from the water and peel when cool enough to handle. Baby beets may be left whole, but larger beets should be chopped and either dehydrated at 120°F for 8 to 12 hours or canned. For canned beets, ladled into sterile pint- or quart-size canning jars or retort pouches and fill with water. Leave 1 to 2 inches headspace and seal well. Follow USDA pressure-canning guidelines and process 30 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts. Beets are also delicious with a pinch of powdered vanilla added before canning.

Beet Soup

Add 2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable soup base and 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder and process through a food mill. Package along with 1/2 cup of sour cream powder, which you mix with 1/4 cup of water to make a sour cream soup topping.

Broccoli

Broccoli can be blanched and then dehydrated at about 120°F for 12 to 14 hours. It is not recommended to can broccoli, because the florets become pulverized in the processing and the smell of the broccoli is greatly concentrated to an unappealing degree. Mushy and smelly.

Carrots

Carrots can be either dehydrated or canned. Peel them first. Then, to dehydrate, slice thinly and dehydrate at 120°F for 6 to 10 hours. To can, leave whole or chop. Fill into quart- or pint-size jars or retort pouches and cover with boiling water. Leave 1 to 2 inches headspace and seal well. Follow USDA pressure-canning guidelines and process 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts.

Carrot Soup

Add 2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable soup base and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to each quart of carrots and can as above. When you open the jar or pouch, strain the water into a soup pot and process the carrots through a food mill. Stir well and heat until simmering. Serve with Cornbread (
page 128
).

Glazed Carrots

In a zip-top bag, package together 2 tablespoons butter-flavored vegetable shortening wrapped well in plastic or 2 tablespoons canned ghee and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Seal together with a quart of carrots in a Mylar bag. To serve, drain off the carrot liquid (save for another purpose) and reheat the carrots gently in melted shortening or ghee and stir in the brown sugar. Serve when heated through, about 5 minutes.