Meals in a Jar (9 page)

Label each bag:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the package contents with 2/3 cup of water. Pat into a round shape 1/2 inch thick and cut into biscuit-size rounds (or drop by spoonfuls) on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Makes 12 large biscuits
.

For shortening and flour: In each of 16 pieces of plastic wrap, combine and wrap well:

• 1 tablespoon shortening

• 1 tablespoon flour

For sausage: If using breakfast sausage, lightly brown the sausage in a pan and crumble. Using a canning funnel, fill 16 sterilized pint-size jars or retort pouches with cooked sausage and cover with water leaving 1 inch of headspace. Wipe the lids or rims to be sealed, add the lids and rims, or heat-seal the pouches. Pressure-can pints for 75 minutes or as instructed by current USDA guidelines for your area. If using freeze-dried sausage, vacuum-seal 1/2 cup in each of 8 bags.

Ready-Made Meal Assembly

In each of 16 Mylar bags, tote bags, or vacuum bags, store:

• 1 bag biscuit mix

• 1 packet shortening and flour

• 1 packet milk

• 1 pint sausage crumbles

Label each bag:

Make the biscuits according to the directions. While the biscuits bake, heat the shortening and flour together in a skillet, stirring. Mix the dry milk with 1/2 cup of water. Add the milk to shortening-flour mixture, stirring. (If using freeze-dried sausage, add 1 cup of hot water to sausage crumbles and let sit 5 minutes and then drain.) Add water from sausage and stir until starting to thicken. Add sausage, stirring to break up. When thick, serve gravy spooned over biscuits. Serves 4
.

These soups can be stored in canning jars, which look very pretty and make nice gifts, or they can be sealed into Mylar bags. Vacuum-sealing makes them last longer and works with jars or bags, or you can use oxygen absorbers, small packets that can be added to containers to absorb oxygen (available online), which work equally well. If you fill Mylar bags so they can lay flat or stand upright in your pantry, soup storage is even more convenient.

If you choose to package these soups in a jar to give as a gift, be sure to add the ingredients in the order of the smallest ingredients first, so the largest ingredients are on top of the filled jar. For example, if a soup has large ingredients like beans, but also includes powdered ingredients like powdered soup base or spices, put the small powdered ingredients first and the larger beans on top. If the order is backward, the smaller ingredients will filter down and between the larger ingredients, and although the taste will be the same, the jars won’t look as pretty and layered while sitting on the shelf.

An important variable in soup recipes is the powdered bouillon or soup base. Different brands of these ingredients vary in strength and saltiness, so I recommend making a single recipe of any given soup and adjusting the quantity used according to your taste before scaling up and making a large batch of several bags.

MEAT SUBSTITUTIONS: In recipes calling for meat, feel free to use either freeze-dried or home-canned meats such as beef, chicken, and sausage. Also, many of the beef soups are also delicious using sausage crumbles as well. Some cooks like to substitute textured vegetable protein (TVP) for all or part of the ground beef in recipes for the sake of economy. If using freeze-dried meats, use about half the amount called for, because it expands when it comes in contact with fluid. For example if a recipe calls for a pint of home-canned beef, you may substitute 1 to 2 cups of freeze-dried ground beef, beef chunks, or sausage crumbles.

Chapter 5

Soup’s On

Beef, Lentil, and Pasta Soup

This soup combines lentils, split peas, and barley, which are the quickest-cooking legumes, with tasty, tender home-canned beef. The legumes give a delicious toothsome chew and the tender beef and pasta make for a savory, nutritious, satisfying soup. Serve it with biscuits or cornbread.

Makes 8 (8-serving) meals

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked split peas

1-1/3 cups beef bouillon granules

2 cups pearl barley

2 cups uncooked lentils

1 cup dehydrated onion flakes

3 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning

2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

8 (1/2-pint) jars Home-Canned Beef (
page 48
) or 8 cups freeze-dried beef, sausage, or TVP

8 bay leaves

4 cups uncooked alphabet pasta

8 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

8 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste

Instructions

For soup mix: In each of 8 vacuum bags or jars, add and then seal:

• 1/4 cup uncooked split peas

• 2-1/2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

• 1/4 cup pearl barley

• 1/4 cup uncooked lentils

• 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes

• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

• 1/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

• 1 cup freeze-dried beef, sausage, or TVP (if not using home-canned beef)

• 1 bay leaf

For pasta: In each of 8 small zip-top bags, seal:

• 1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta (or other small pasta)

Ready-Made Meal Assembly

Seal or package together in each of 8 vacuum or tote bags:

• 1 bag soup mix

• 1 bag pasta

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 can tomato paste

• 1 can home-canned beef (if using home-canned)

Label each bag:

In a large pot over medium heat, add beef and any liquid and stir to break up. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, soup mix, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta, peas, lentils, and barley are tender. Remove the bay leaf and serve. Serves 8
.

Home-Canned Beef

Ingredients

4 pounds ground beef

seasoning salt

black pepper

8 (1/2-pint) jars

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef and stir to break up. Season well. With a canning funnel, transfer into sterile jars, and cover with water, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Wipe jar rim with a vinegar-moistened paper towel. Pressure-can for 75 minutes. Let cool completely and wipe jars clean.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This is a delicious, creamy, delicately flavored soup. The dehydrated asparagus really ups the flavor. Serve it with dinner rolls for dipping or a sidekit of Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (
page 126
).

Makes 8 (6-serving) meals

Ingredients

16 cups dehydrated asparagus

2 cups dehydrated chopped onion

2 cups dehydrated chopped celery

5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons onion powder

1 cup chicken soup base or bouillon granules, divided

16 slices dehydrated lemon

1 cup dry milk

2 tablespoons sour cream powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening

1 cup flour

Instructions

For soup mix: In each of 8 vacuum bags or jars, add and then seal:

• 2 cups dehydrated asparagus

• 1/4 cup dehydrated chopped onion

• 1/4 cup dehydrated chopped celery

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 tablespoon chicken soup base or bouillon granules

• 1 slice dehydrated lemon

For creamy mix: In to each of 8 vacuum bags or zip-top bags, add and then seal:

• 2 tablespoons dry milk

• 2 tablespoons sour cream powder

• 1 tablespoon chicken soup base or bouillon granules

• dash of ground nutmeg

For thickener: In each of 8 squares of plastic wrap, bundle:

• 2 tablespoons butter-flavored vegetable shortening

• 2 tablespoons flour