Now is a great time to work on your three-month supply of pantry food. Choose foods and recipes that you and your family like to eat. Get started. If you are a beginner on a limited budget start with an extra two-week supply. Pick 2 delicious pantry recipes. For example, if you choose Pinto Bean Wraps (recipe below in the blog) purchase:
rice (at least 7 cups)
cumin (spice)
7 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce
7 cans (4 oz) can diced green chiles
minced garlic
7 cans (15 oz) pinto beans
7 jars of salsa
Then pick a second recipe, such as Fiesta (recipe below) and purchase enough to make 7 recipes:
14 cans of chili
rice (at least 7 cups)
7 cans (15 1/4 oz) can corn
7 cans (15 oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
salt
dehydrated onion
oregano (spice)
chili powder (spice)
cumin (you've already purchaesd above so maybe you have enough)
cheese--optional
(Check date on a block of cheese. Cheese keeps a few weeks in the refrigerator. It can be successfully frozen for months but will not hold together when unthawed. Bottled or processed sharp cheese spread stores quite a long time -- or you can eat Fiesta without cheese.)
If you have chosen two meals and purchased incredients x 7 you will now have an extra two weeks supply of dinners. The next week pick 2 more recipes and buy it times 7. In a few weeks you will have a three-month supply of dinners. You may want to add to it a canned vegetable and a canned fruit, such as a can of peaches or pears. You may want to add a dessert, such as chocolate pudding. If so, purchase these times 7 also. You can choose any increment you would like--I have actually chosen ten as my magic number so I have at least ten cans of everything I need to make my particular pantry recipes.
For breakfast and lunch you can do the same thing--plan what you like to fix for breakfast and buy it in bulk. Oatmeal is on sale at QFC, so buy a few boxes. Powdered milk, sugar, and fruit would be good additions. Perhaps, your second choice for breakfast could be pancakes. Do you have the ingredients for 7 days of home-made pancakes. (Do you want to learn about egg substitutes or powdered eggs? They are available.)
For lunch it's the same principle--peanut butter, canned soup, tuna fish, etc., depending on what you or your family like to eat. Buy 7 jars of peanut butter and 7 cans of your favorite soup. If you buy tuna, you will need to also buy salad dressing or whatever you mix with your tuna. Buy some crackers if you like but they will have a shorter shelf life. You will probably want the ingredients for and know to make biscuits, muffins or whole wheat bread when you are ready. This can always be a staple for lunch for hungry people.
Now carefully store these in your pantry, cupboard, or under your bed--wherever you can find space--and rotate them.
In our family we choose to have a pantry meal at least once every two weeks. Then I rotate the items and replace them. Like squirrels and so many other little animals that gather and prepare for the winter--you will be better prepared for winter.
Pasta Carbonara -- Kristen Dayley
12 oz. egg noodles (cooked al dente)
Fry ¼ lb bacon (or use pre-cooked bacon pieces)
1/3 stick margarine or butter
2 cups thawed peas or 1 can peas
1 1/3 c. evaporated milk (can also use fresh dairy)
Combine milk, cream or half and half with ½ c. parmesan cheese (fresh or canned) plus
dash of pepper. HEAT all ingredients together, except noodles; and then combine in warm bowl.
Fry ¼ lb bacon (or use pre-cooked bacon pieces)
1/3 stick margarine or butter
2 cups thawed peas or 1 can peas
1 1/3 c. evaporated milk (can also use fresh dairy)
Combine milk, cream or half and half with ½ c. parmesan cheese (fresh or canned) plus
dash of pepper. HEAT all ingredients together, except noodles; and then combine in warm bowl.
TACO SOUP
1 onion, diced (or 2-4 T. dried, minced onion)1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans (could use also a can of kidney beans)
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can corn
1 cup salsa
1-15 oz. can stewed, chopped tomatoes
3 T. taco seasoning or 1 pkg. taco seasoning (taco seasoning)-- to taste
1 lb. lean ground beef, or use 1 can of chicken or beef (or make meatless)
May need to add at least 1 can water or 1 cup tomato juice
Preheat pan to sear ground beef and as you cook add fresh onions, if using them. Drain and rinse well the beans. Add ingredients in the order given including the canned meat if using it. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the spices flavor it. You may also make this in a crock pot. Garnish with shredded cheese, green onions, crushed tortilla chips, chives, . . .
Easy Chicken A La King
1 can cream of chicken soup2 T. dried, minced onions
1 (6 oz.) can Albacore tuna (or canned chicken)
2/3 c. milk or canned milk
½ of a 10 oz. package of frozen peas or canned peas
Toast, English muffins or biscuits
In a saucepan stir soup and milk until smooth. Heat until bubbly. Add chicken and peas. Turn off heat and cover. Let stand 3 minutes. Serve over toast, English muffins or biscuits. Serves 6 (If you don't have cream of chicken soup make a white sauce with butter, salt and milk and then add tuna, dried onions, and peas.)
FIESTA -- IT'S A PARTY
2 cans chili 
¼ t. dried oregano
1 cup rice
1 t. chili powder
1 (15 ¼ oz) can corn
½ t. ground cumin
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 t. salt
2 t. dehydrated onion, minced
Additional ingredients, if available:
1 cup grated cheese, Fritos, crackers . . .
Cook rice in 2 cups of water. Drain corn and tomatoes. Heat together the corn, tomatoes, and chili. Stir in warm, cooked rice. Add seasonings. Serve with cheese, Fritos, crackers, etc. Spoon Fritos or crackers into bowls, add chili mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.
¼ t. dried oregano
1 cup rice
1 t. chili powder
1 (15 ¼ oz) can corn
½ t. ground cumin
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 t. salt
2 t. dehydrated onion, minced
Additional ingredients, if available:
1 cup grated cheese, Fritos, crackers . . .
Cook rice in 2 cups of water. Drain corn and tomatoes. Heat together the corn, tomatoes, and chili. Stir in warm, cooked rice. Add seasonings. Serve with cheese, Fritos, crackers, etc. Spoon Fritos or crackers into bowls, add chili mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.
Pinto Bean Wraps
Pinto Bean Wraps – Leslie Probert Campus Ed 2007 Handout #26
1 T. oil
¼ t. dried, minced garlic
1 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 ¾ c. soaked and cooked dry beans OR
1 ½ c. water (15 oz. can pinto beans—drained & rinsed)
¼ t. cumin
½ c. salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz.) can diced green Chiles Optional: grated cheese or cheese spread, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.
In a saucepan, lightly brown rice in oil on medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and simmer, covered 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Add pinto beans and salsa to hot rice. Spread warmed tortillas with cheese or cheese spread and fill with pinto bean mixture. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream, if available. Fills 10 tortillas.
1 T. oil
¼ t. dried, minced garlic
1 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 ¾ c. soaked and cooked dry beans OR
1 ½ c. water (15 oz. can pinto beans—drained & rinsed)
¼ t. cumin
½ c. salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz.) can diced green Chiles Optional: grated cheese or cheese spread, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.
In a saucepan, lightly brown rice in oil on medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and simmer, covered 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Add pinto beans and salsa to hot rice. Spread warmed tortillas with cheese or cheese spread and fill with pinto bean mixture. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream, if available. Fills 10 tortillas.
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