By Kellene Bishop

Gotta Love That Pressure Cooker!

Two weeks ago I had to make a meal, pronto, for my husband and I.  Since I had been writing most of the day, I hadn’t exactly planned anything. So at 4:30 p.m., I finally decided to rummage in my freezer to see what was available. I saw a freezer-burned ham bone. While that may not sound very appetizing to most of you, I assure you that freezer-burned meat is no problem when you have a pressure cooker.  So I placed the ham bone in some water and a couple tablespoons of Shirley J’s Slow Cooker Pork Seasoning in my pressure cooker. I stabilized the pressure at high heat for about 30 minutes while embarking on a kitchen cleaning frenzy. As I was doing so I spied about 3 cups of pinto beans that I had purchased in the bulk foods section of Winco which I had forgotten to seal in a Mason jar. So I decided that ham and beans sounded like a good option for dinner before I dried my beans out too much.

All I did was rinse the beans off and then added them to the pressure cooker with the ham bone. Thanks to a pressure cooker, by 5:30 p.m. my husband and I were enjoying a very tasty ham and beans meal with only these three ingredients. Pretty impressive when you consider that most dishes of this nature call for soaking the beans overnight and slow cooking the entire meal most of the day.  Instead, we enjoyed a convenient, comfortable meal with all of the nutrients intact. I like having a meal in a jiffy without nuking it or compromising the texture and taste. And thanks to this invaluable technology, I got every drop of bone marrow from my ham bone. Yum-Mee!

Now some of you may be surprised that I didn’t have to soak the beans or simmer the ham and beans for hours. But that’s simply one of the great things about having a pressure cooker. I easily use my pressure cookers every week to make meals that would usually take an exorbitant amount of time.  Whole grain white or brown rice only takes 10 minutes on high pressure—and turns out perfectly every time.  Irish cut oats, wheat berries, any type of grain or legumes turn out wonderful with a minimal amount of effort. Even better, when I use a pressure cooker, I don’t have to heat up my house by cooking all day AND I am able to continue cooking on high heat even though I have my stove top turned all the way down to the lowest setting. From a preparedness standpoint, this is especially handy in the event that you have to live off of a limited supply of precious fuel such as propane, butane, or kerosene.

So, for this weeks article to aid you in using your long-term pantry items, I hope that I’ve sufficiently encouraged you to check out this marvelous tool of everyday preparedness. If you already have a pressure cooker, I hope you won’t hesitate to constantly try new things and see just how much of a great impact it can have on your busy schedule and sophisticated palate.

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By Kellene Bishop

If you think beans are gross, you're in for a surprise! Photo c/o wiredrive.com

Having beans in your pantry isn’t appealing to a lot of people. Mostly though it’s because the thought of eating them exclusively long-term causes them to prefer death. So allow me to fill you in on some of the basic information about cooking with beans, storing them, sprouting them, etc.

Believe it or not but beans can be a comfort food. A study conducted at Weber State University showed that when eaten in a thick soup-like or paste consistency, beans have a positive effect on the endorphins and serotonin produced in the body. And yes, the rumors are true, you CAN make really yummy cookies, brownies and fudge with beans! So imagine what the endorphin levels may be in that kind of combination?

Beans are also incredibly nutritious. Most beans only contain 2-3% fat. They not only don’t have any cholesterol, but they actually help to lower your cholesterol levels because of their rich source of fiber. They are also high in protein, Vitamin B, good carbohydrates, and iron.

The cost of beans has held rather steady over the last two decades for consumers. Even today a serving of beans can be as low as 10 cents compared to several times that amount for cheese or meats. If you’re able, buy bulk beans instead of pre-packaged ones. Doing so will save you about 70%.

Brightly colored beans photo c/o tippinthescales.wordpress.com

When you buy beans, check the quality of them. They should be clean, brightly colored and rather uniform in size with no visible damage. Cracked or chipped beans indicate a low quality product. When you clean the beans, just give them a look over for any dirt or pebbles.

Because we eat so many refined foods, our bodies don’t regularly have the enzymes to properly digest beans and grains. So be sure to explore the use of the following tips when consuming them.

• Sprout your beans. They are much easier for your body to assimilate when you ingest them this way as they shed off some of the gaseous components during the sprouting process. As you may have read previously, sprouting compounds the nutritional value of any seed, nut, whole grain or legume by as much as 600%! Remember also that when you sprout your beans, they become more of a vegetable rather than a bit starchy.  One 50 pound bag of beans will provide a family of four with one vegetable serving for a whole year if you sprout them! (1 tablespoon of beans yields about ¼ to ½ pound of veggies.)
• Slow cook or pressure cook your beans. Cooking dry beans thoroughly is also important to being able to digest them properly.
• Consume beans regularly several times a week. Start with small portions if you’re not used to it. Eating beans actually supplies your body with the necessary enzymes over time to be able to eat them more regularly.
• Cook your beans with a bit of oil. This will help prevent the frothing of them while they cook so that you can cook them at a higher heat.
• Soak your beans, if only for 30 minutes before cooking. Even a soak of only a half-hour will compound the nutritional benefits. You can do a “quick soak method” by adding 6 cups of water to one pound of beans. Bring it to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover and then let stand for one hour. Drain the water, add new water and then cook as you would normally.

When cooking your beans, keep in mind the seasoning strategy. You’ll actually get more flavor if you wait until they are just a bit soft before adding your seasoning. If you add the seasoning too early in the boiling water, you won’t get the permeated flavoring that you’re looking for. But if you add your seasonings freshly at the point in which the beans are a bit soft, they are better able to absorb the full, undiluted strength of the seasoning. Also, embrace using cloves when cooking beans. While such a combination may sound unusual, it’s actually a great marriage of flavors that I think you’ll enjoy.

Photo c/o Jud Burkett, The Spectrum

When considering how much beans to have on hand for a year’s supply for your family, plan on a minimum of 1 pound per person per day. However, this amount includes your other fruits and vegetables (fresh, dehydrated, freeze dried, etc).  Considering that beans can easily be converted into a nutritious vegetable (via sprouting), I tend to lean heavily on the side of more beans in my pantry rather than canned vegetables. Remember, canned veggies contain only 40% of their original nutrition and then depletes over time. However, if stored below 70 degrees in a tightly covered container in a dry place, beans will keep indefinitely. When you expose them to high temperatures and humidity, the necessary cooking time will increase. But will not destroy them. However, concerns with this can be alleviated if you’ll simply use your beans regularly and thus rotate your food.

To help you enjoy them a bit more, I’m providing you with a couple recipes. I hope you enjoy them!

Pinto Bean Fudge

Mash together the following ingredients:

1 cup of soft pinto beans
¼ to ½ cup milk (you want the consistency of mashed potatoes
1 T. vanilla

In a double boiler melt 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate and 6 T. butter.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the bean mixture.  Stir until slightly thickened. Work in 2 pounds of powdered sugar. Knead with hands and then spread on a slightly buttered pan. Refrigerate. Makes 3 ½ lbs. you can also add nuts. Enjoy!

Ranchero Beans

5 cups water                                       
1 onion, quartered
1 clove garlic; peeled                         
1 carrot peeled and cut into chunks
2 C dry pinto beans (washed)            
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
½ t. ginger                                          
½ t. salt
1 t. honey                                           
1 cup salsa or mild taco sauce

In a blender place 1 cup of water, onion, garlic, and carrot. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped. Place vegetables and 4 cups of water, beans, cayenne, and ginger in a 5-6 quart pan. Cover and cook for 8 hours or overnight in a 200 degree oven. Add salt, honey and salsa. Return to oven for at least one hour, and up to 4 hours. (To cook in a slow cooker, cook on high for 8 hours.) Add seasoning and cook on low as desired.  

To adapt this recipe to refried beans, simply mash and then use. Add a bit of chili powder to taste as well. To convert into chili beans, simply add 1 ½ ounce package of chili seasoning mix, 16 ounces of canned tomatoes and ½ lb. of ground beef. Mix and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

It's a wet year for crops, folks. Photo c/o MPR photo/Dan Gunderson

Ok folks. Here’s some more info on food shortage—it’s going to be a wet year for crops. I keep getting flack for putting food shortage information out there and have been called a fear monger and irresponsible journalist. But the fact of the matter is, we do need to be aware of these kinds of things so that we can knowledgably address our preparedness needs.

In an effort to allay fears of citizens, the USDA has issued several statements this year celebrating a “bumper crop” outlook among farmers. In some key farming areas, a late crop was planted due to weather complications. However, due to heavy rains nationwide, early frosts and snow, many farmers are reporting a very different scenario.

Moldy corn in Indiana Photo c/o A. Robertson

Corn and bean crops all over the farming regions of the U.S. are soaked. It’s a wet year for crops. I’ve read over 30 accounts from farmers who can’t even get a combine out in the field due to the rain or snow.  Those who are able to harvest are having a tough time drying the corn and a great deal of the corn is moldy. Some beans have begun to pop weeks early. There have been bumper crops grown, but no way to harvest them with all of the moisture and subsequent freezing weather.

Wheat farmers are conveying the same message as well. “It’s as if the harvest time came and went like a thief in the night,” says one farmer from South Dakota. Some farmers have resorted to chisel plowing, but it’s slow going and with additional threats of moisture and freezing temperatures, it doesn’t look good. Some of the hot September days helped late planted crops to mature, but the harvesting of such crops is still a challenge.

• According to Texas AgriLife Personnel, Texas wheat crops were subjected to heavy rains followed by army worms. As such the crop yields are diminishing greatly.
• South Central Kansas is concerned about even getting their winter wheat planted due to the excessive moisture in the ground at present.
• North Texas claims that there has been over 2 feet of rain in the last 2 months and as a result, the cotton will never be harvested.
• Redwood County, MN reports that only 50% of the soybeans were harvested and has now “ground to a halt.” Their growing season has ended with 5 nights in a row in the mid 20’s.
• 

  Iowa farm with seven inches of snow in October

  Wright County, IA awoke to an inch of snow on the ground earlier this month. One farmer claimed “Harvest at a standstill after this snow. I think the speculators are in for a big surprise by the time harvest ever gets on the way or done.”

• A Northern Indiana farmer says “We have not been able to even get into a field to harvest and weather has only let us plant 20 acres of wheat, the corn is running 28% and bean stems are still green. I think they should rethink the harvest outlooks, can’t see it being a bumper anything…with a chance of early snow.”
• A Brown County, SD farmer had this to report, “Haven’t turned a wheel yet for harvest. Approaching 13 inches of rain for September and early October and now it is snowing. Gonna be an interesting harvest if we even are able to get in the field.”

Start storing, folks. Pantry photo c/o Creativemonkey721

My point? Because of this wet year for crops, don’t plan on our reserves being filled again any time soon folks. You should also plan on steep price increases beginning the first part of November due to the low yields. These price increases will be most evident on items which contain corn or corn derivatives. And keep an eye out for anything which contains soy increasing dramatically as well. With the problem being on such a national level, it’s bound to affect the market dramatically as opposed to a little “blip” that would occur if the lack of crops were isolated to one area. During this wet year for crops, my advice to you is to store up, folks, so that you can afford your other necessities.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o jewishjournal.com

You bet.  Even in an emergency you can feed your kids healthy, but scrumptious desserts!  Beans are incredibly versatile.  As you know they are also an excellent source of protein and Vitamin B, folic acid, niacin, and thiamine.  The human body even thrives when this particular food is relied upon.  It’s great for aiding digestive problems (ere go the creation of “Beano”), circulation, diabetes, and weight control. 

But if the thought of having beans and rice for a year makes you ill and longing to die before “Armageddon”, you’ll be happy to note that there are PLENTY of uses for beans that you may never have imagined—even desserts, and there are a number of ways you can doctor up beans to a completely different kind of main dish that you would have though of previously.  How about a fudge made delicious with the addition of beans?  Or a really good pie?  How about adding peach jam and a few other treats to your cans of pork and beans?

So give this awesome food a try.  And be sure to add split peas, pinto, garbanzo, navy, Great Northern and kidney beans to your food storage and then experiment with these great recipes!  They are a winner every time I serve them.  Enjoy!

Bean Puree

Put beans and liquid in a blender.  Blend on medium speed until smooth; stop occasionally to scrape down the sides and stir beans up from the bottom.  Your puree should be a smooth consistency.  Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container up to 6 weeks.  (This will thicken as it cools.)

Pinto Bean Wheat Bread

Photo c/o www.aliciasrecipes.com

1 cup bean puree made with pinto beans (you can also use reconstituted refried beans for this recipe)
1 cup lukewarm water
1 T. honey
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
¾ to 1 ½ cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl combine water and honey, stirring to mix together completely.  Dissolve the yeast in the honey/water mixture.  Let stand until mixture appears foamy.  Stir in bean puree, oil, and salt.  Gradually add whole wheat flour, stirring occasionally.  Add all purpose flour the same way.  Mix until dough is stiff.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  (I presently do this recipe in my Bosch or Kitchen Aid mixer for about 7 to 8 minutes knead time.)  Return dough to bowl.  Spray non-stick spray on a piece of plastic wrap big enough to cover the bowl.  Place plastic wrap with the non-stick side facing down to prevent the dough from drying as it rises.  Allow dough to rise until doubled in size.  Form loaf, place it in your bread pan, and let it rise again to double in size.  (Still cover it with the sprayed plastic wrap.)  Once it’s risen, bake it at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from bread pan and allow it to cool on its side.  (Note: if you cook this in a solar oven it will not get “golden brown” but you can use the “hollow thump test” to ensure doneness.  Cooking time will take approximately 2 hours in a solar oven.)

Navy Bean Bundt Cake

1 2/3 cup navy beans, cooked and drained
1 cup sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 cup water (or you can use liquid from the cooked beans)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup softened butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 ½ t. nutmeg
1/3 cup evaporated milk
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Puree beans in a blender or mash thoroughly with a potato masher or a fork.  Set aside.  In a large bowl combine butter, sugars, and vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Add eggs and mix at high speed until well blended.  Then add milk and water and mix thoroughly.  Stir in bean puree and set aside.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Stir half of the dry ingredients into the bean mixture until well blended.  Add the nuts and the coconut and blend completely.  Then add the remaining flour mixture.  Blend well.  Pour into a greased Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.   You can also just pour this into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at the same temperature 

Enjoy a most hearty Bundt cake!

Surprise Bean Pudding Cake

(it’s a surprise because no one will guess it has beans in it, and there’s no “pudding” in it either)

Cream together:

½ cup butter or margarine
2 t. vanilla
1 egg

Add:

1 2/3 cup of mashed, cooked, drained pinto beans (you can use drained cans of beans as well)
½ cup applesauce

Mix until well blended then add:

¾ cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. cloves
½ t. allspice
1 t. baking soda

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Pilgrim Bean Pie

Photo c/o blogs.myspace.com

½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs beaten
½ cup butter, softened
1 generous cup of mashed, cooked pinto beans (drained) (Note: you can substitute reconstituted dry beans, but be sure it’s a generous cup)
½ cup grated coconut (optional)
½ t. pumpkin pie spice (optional)
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Whipped topping (which you can easily make from powdered milk or a powdered whipped topping packet)

Beat together the sugars, eggs, and butter until creamy.  Add coconut and pumpkin pie spice (optional).  Add pinto beans and blend well.  Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake and additional 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Serve with whipped topping.  

Bean Fudge

1 cup cooked, mashed pinto beans; drained (you can also use reconstituted refried beans)
¼ cup milk (Yes, powdered milk is fine in this recipe)
1 T. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 pounds powdered sugar
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 T. butter or margarine
½ cup of chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl mix together the beans and milk.  This should resemble a mashed potato consistency.  Stir in vanilla and almond extract.  Melt chocolate and butter and then stir into the bean mixture.  Add nuts.  Gradually stiff in the powdered sugar.  Make sure it’s well blended.  Spread onto a light buttered 9 inch baking dish.  Chill 1 to 2 hours.  Cut into pieces and refrigerate to prevent melting.  (Although melted, this makes a yummy topping on pudding or homemade ice cream!)

Peachy Pork and Beans

5 (15 oz) cans of pork and beans-undrained
¼ cup brown sugar
1 16 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 t. mustard (not dry)
½ cup of diced ham or “Real Bacon Bits”
8 ounces of peach jam
½ cup catsup
Water as needed

Mix together all ingredients, adding water to the desired consistency.  Warm through on medium/high heat.  Serve.  (Serves about 15 and is GREAT for a potluck)

(My parents used to make this when I was growing up, and I craved it on warm bread.  But after I moved out of the house I asked them for the recipe and they couldn’t remember it.  So I’ve struggled over the years to make my own version of this heavenly spread.  This is as close as I could come.)

Bean Dip or Tortilla or Bread Spread

½ cups of dehydrated refried bens
1 2/3 cups boiling water
1 T. taco seasoning
¼ cup dehydrated onions
2 T. dehydrated garlic

Photo c/o excellenteats.blogspot.com

Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the boiling water.  Stir to moisten.  Let stand 25 minutes.  You can add salsa or some more water to thin it to your desired consistency.  Use on corn or flour tortillas, homemade bread, or hamburger buns.  Treat it just as you would a ham or beef spread and serve with desired condiments.  (Note: you can make this with dried or canned ingredients as well.  Just cut back on your water to only about 1 cup boiling water.)

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Since I know that anyone who is serious about having an emergency preparedness supply of food is bound to have beans, I thought that this would be a vital article today.

Besides, I was craving yummy beans today, so I decided to share with you yet another e-z p-z pressure cooker recipe.

The great thing about a pressure cooker is that you do NOT have to soak your beans ahead of time. By all means, you can, but it is not required. Yet one more way to save time and energy in an emergency.  The following recipe is super simple.  The key to cooking beans in a pressure cooker is to cook at the low heat level in order to avoid the foaming. However, with a Kuhn-Rikon pressure cooker, you don’t have much problem with this either so long as you do not exceed, by even a millimeter, the 2/3 full mark.

In my storage we have dried pinto beans, kidney beans, butter beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, and more. This recipe is actually a GREAT start for each of those types of beans. (Although you don’t need to “smash” them unless you’re making “refried beans.”)  Also, keep in mind that adding the salt in the beans will also help to avoid any “foaming” when you release the pressure.  Feel free to season the beans additionally with liquid smoke, or Tabasco sauce, and other great spices.

Pinto Beans

2 c. dry pinto beans
½ cup of minced onion
2 lg. garlic cloves (or 2 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic)
1 tsp. oregano
4 sprigs fresh cilantro or 1 tsp. dry cilantro herb
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper (or more to taste)
½ Tbsp salt
6 1/2 c. water
6 qt. pressure cooker

(Optional: Soak pinto in hot water in a covered medium saucepan for 1 hour.) At the very least you need to rinse the beans in warm water. Drain beans, then put them in the pressure cooker. Add the remainder of your ingredients. Seal lid of pressure cooker. Cook over medium-high heat for 50-60 minutes depending on desired tenderness. Release pressure simply by taking the cooker off of the heat. Let the pressure come down naturally. Mash cooked beans. Serve with your favorite compliments such as warm tortillas.

Additional options: Throw in some canned diced SPAM, ground beef, or leftover ham.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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