Storable Lunch or Dinner - Whole Wheat Tortillas

You won't think making tortillas is worth the work until you've tasted a homemade tortilla. If you are one of the lucky ones who has tasted a tortilla hot off the griddle, you will be more than just a little excited about trying your hand at this recipe.

Make your dough.

Divide it into balls.

Cover the dough balls with a moist paper towel for 1-8 hours. You read that right - it takes at least one hour for the gluten in the wheat flour to relax so the tortillas are easier to roll out. You can leave it longer though depending on the demands of your day.

Cut the edges off of a gallon size ziplock bag to create two heavy-duty pieces of plastic. Roll out each dough ball until very thin between the layers of plastic. This is where the kids have fun helping you. We've even had taco parties and our guests have fun taking turns rolling these out. You can place a bowl upside down over the top and cut around it to create perfect circle tortillas if you want to. We don't mind the homemade appearance. Cook on a hot griddle as you would a pancake. Fill with your favorite taco filling or turn them into delicious sandwich wraps. They also taste great in Mexican Lasagna.

Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
4 cups whole wheat flour	½ – ¾ cup shortening
1 cup all-purpose flour	1 ½ cups boiling water
2 tsp salt
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Rub the shortening in by hand until the dough is the texture of oatmeal. Make a well in the center and pour in the boiling water. Mix with a fork until the water is all mixed in. Sprinkle with a little additional flour and knead with your hands until the dough does not stick to your fingers. Divide into balls about the size of golf balls and place on a tray. Cover with a moist paper towel and allow to sit for at least one hour or up to 8 hours. This makes them much easier to roll out. Cut the seams off a gallon-size ziplock bag creating two pieces of heavier plastic. Roll each ball out between the two pieces of plastic as thin as possible. Place a tortilla on a hot griddle. As soon as you see a bubble on top (in about 10 seconds) flip the tortilla over. Cook for about 30 seconds. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 30 seconds. Roll out the next tortilla while you wait for one to cook. Continue until all the balls are done. Store your cooked tortillas between two kitchen towels to keep them warm and soft before serving. These freeze well.

Storable Dinner - Tamale Casserole

I flipped the order of the ingredients for this casserole to give it a prettier presentation. It is a family favorite regardless of the order of the ingredients! I had a good friend bring this over one of the times we had a new baby in the NICU. I knew that when my husband and all the kids liked it, I needed to get her recipe. When I read the ingredients, I was excited to see it was a "food storage" recipe and oh, so simple.

Begin by spreading out one can of chili in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Top with a layer of cooked rice and an additional can of chili.

Open two cans of tamales and remove the papers. (Usually found near the chili or on the Hispanic isle at our local grocery stores. I've only ever seen a Hormel brand.) Place the tamales in two rows across the top of the casserole. Drizzle any juices left in the can across the tamales.

Top with shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake or heat in the microwave.

You can do a 1/2 size batch in an 8x8 pan. Since this freezes so well, I usually do two when I am making it. 

Tamale Casserole
2 cans of tamales	Grated cheese
2 cups rice, cooked	Sour cream or plain yogurt
2 cans chili
Empty the cans of tamales into a 9x13-inch pan or two 8x8-inch pans. Remove and discard papers then cut into bite sized pieces. Spread evenly in the pan. Cover evenly with cooked rice. Spread the 2 cans of chili over the rice and top with cheese. Bake at 375° F for 30–45 minutes or heat in the microwave. Top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt when serving. This freezes very well.

Storable Dinner - Chicken Bistro Twist

This looks fancy and tastes even better!

Mix filling ingredients like you would for a chicken salad. Canned chicken is great in this recipe.

Roll out bread dough into two recitangles.

Spread filling down the center of each rectangle.

Snip the dough with kitchen scissors, cutting from the outside in towards the middle.

Fold pieces over the filling alternating each side as you would for a braid.

Don't they look pretty?

Go ahead - WOW your family with this one! It is a great freezer meal which is why I always make two at a time.

Chicken Bistro Twist
Soft garlic breadstick dough	¼ cup chopped black olives
1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped	¼ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup dehydrated peppers	¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dried basil	½ cup shredded cheese
1 tsp dried, minced garlic
Check out the bread section for the garlic breadstick dough recipe and make a double batch. After the first rise, punch it down and divide in half. While it is rising, rehydrate peppers and garlic. Make a chicken salad filling out of all the ingredients. On an oiled surface, roll each piece into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling down each loaf. Cut 1-inch wide strips using kitchen scissors down either side of the dough, cutting from the outside edge of the dough into the edge of the filling. Braid the loaf by folding top strips together across the filling and continue alternating strips until you reach the bottom. (This will look similar to a Danish braid.) Spray the tops of each loaf with oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning or some of the bread dipping herb mix found in the bread section of this book. Bake at 350° F for 25–30 minutes. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil before baking the final 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. To freeze: Remove from oven after 25 minutes of cooking. Allow to cool. Wrap in a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze. To use frozen loaf: Thaw and wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350° F for 10–15 minutes or until heated through. *Source: All Things Provident by Tamara Price

Happiness and Self-respect Come from Self-reliance

. . . all people are happier and feel more self-respect when they can provide for themselves and their family and then reach out to take care of others. I have been grateful for those who helped me meet my needs. I have been even more grateful over the years for those who helped me become self-reliant. And then I have been most grateful for those who showed me how to use some of my surplus to help others.

I have learned that the way to have a surplus is to spend less than I earn. With that surplus I have been able to learn that it really is better to give than to receive.

Source: Henry B. Eyring "Opportunities to Do Good" April 2011 General Conference

Storable Dinner - Seafood Pasta Salad

It's Summer BBQ time - hooray! Many of us don't stop to realize that there are quite a few salads that can be food storage meals. I made this one a few nights ago for dinner and served it with pulled pork sandwiches. I came up with this salad recipe after having a similar one at a local restaurant. I have had many requests for the recipe. The secret is to use a lot of dill. Celery stores quite a while in the fridge so I had some on hand this time, but I have also made this salad with dehydrated celery that I had rehydrated to give it the similar flavor. By using plain yogurt in the dressing, you significantly drop the fat content in this salad and it also has a lighter flavor in my opinion. Enjoy!

Seafood Pasta Salad
8 oz rotini pasta	Mayonnaise
Canned tuna, salmon, or shrimp	Plain yogurt
Black olives, sliced	Dill, onion powder, garlic powder,
Cucumbers, diced, if available	salt, and pepper to taste
Celery, chopped, if available
Cook pasta until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. Mix vegetables with pasta. To make dressing, stir equal amounts of mayonnaise and plain yogurt with the seasonings. Stir dressing into salad and serve. I often use imitation crab meat in this salad also since it freezes so well and I can have it on hand. There are no amounts for this recipe because I never measure. I just mix it until it looks and tastes good.

Storable Dinner - Taco Filling

Taco filling is a very easy meal to make with items that store.  For dinner tonight, I mixed cooked rice, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes and leftover pot roast together in the crockpot.  I had the pot roast, cooked rice and black beans in the freezer just waiting to be used.  I then added a can of corn (drained) and a can of diced tomatoes.  To spice it up, I added a packet of fajita seasoning mix and some dehydrated peppers and onions.  I then added about 1/2 cup of water and mixed it all together.  I warmed it through which took about 2 hours on high and then dinner was ready.  We will serve it with tortillas and corn chips so my kids have a choice.  I always make a large batch because any leftovers freeze well for another day. Add lettuce, shredded cheese and sour cream for a delicious and easy storable meal.

Dehydrated onions and peppers with a little water

Rehydrated peppers and onions - just microwave for 30 seconds to one minute to rehydrate

Seasoning packets are a good way to store quite a few flavoring options.

Here is the completed taco filling.

Store bought tortillas and corn chips have quite a long shelf-life so I always try to keep some on hand.  If we are out though, we love to make homemade tortillas.  I keep shredded cheese in the freezer and you can use homemade yogurt in place of the sour cream.  These are the changes I take into account as I plan the ingredients to store so I could serve tacos any day of the year!

Storable Dinner - Curry

This kept me fed during the Blizzard of '96 as it came to be known on the East Coast.  I was serving as a missionary in the Washington, D.C. area when we were buried under 6 feet of drifting snow.  We lived in a basement apartment and the stairwell was completely filled with snow.  Conveniently, the snow shovel was kept in the garage outside.  We ended up having to use a cookie sheet and a large bowl to carry snow to the bathtub and melt it down the drain to create a path so we could get out.  What an adventure!

My companion and I had been transferred to the area just a couple of days before the snow came and we hadn't gone grocery shopping yet.  We were just finishing what we had brought from our previous areas.  Thankfully, some good members thought of us and called to check in on us.  I'm sure they acted in response to our own mother's prayers.  Anyway, there was one family in the ward with a 4 wheel drive who was willing to brave the roads.  They stopped by another member's home and picked up a couple of loaves of homemade bread and a can of powdered milk.  They also cooked us a big pot of curry and rice.  They delivered this food to us and we were so very thankful.  (Even missionaries need food storage!)  I had never eaten curry before, but my companion who was from Japan, said it was convenience food over there and something they ate often.  She was thankful for a taste of home.  We ate that pot over the course of the week since it took 6 days for the snow plows to dig us all out.  We loved it!

Now whenever I make this, it gives me a chance to relive this adventure and tell the story to my children.  Food, smells, and tastes can hold so many memories.

Potatoes store very well in the garage here in Idaho in the winter months. During warmer weather, you will want to find a cool place inside for them. Carrots will last quite a few weeks in the fridge any time of year. You can very safely plan both of these vegetables into your 3 month meal plan.  You can also use dehydrated vegetables in this dish.  We like it full of veggies and light on the chicken, but you do it how you want.  Serve it over a bowl of cooked rice.

Chop potatoes, celery, and carrots or use dehydrated veggies.  I added a handful of dry onions.

Check for the packages of Golden Curry in the Asian isle of your local grocery store.

Add precooked chicken or turkey.  I used a mix and just pulled them from the freezer.

The curry packet had two chunks of seasoning.  We like a little more mild flavor so we only use  one packet.

Cover your vegetables with 6 cups of water and simmer until tender.  Drop the curry in and allow to melt into the stew.  Stir until thickened.  Serve over cooked rice.

Summer Food Storage Classes

For those of you in the Boise area, I am offering a few classes at my home this summer.


Tuesday, June 28th 1:00 pm Making Yogurt with Powdered Milk

Cost $1.00 per family

Making yogurt is one of the tastiest ways to rotate your powdered milk and it really expands the meals you can add to your food storage meal plan. Come learn how easy it really is. There will be tasting samples.

Monday, July 11th 1:00 pm Bread Making  Basics

Cost $2.00 per family

Bring a loaf pan or a baking sheet. Everyone will leave with a loaf of bread to bake for dinner.

Thursday, August  4th 1:00 pm Dehydrating Fruit

Cost $1.00 per family

Dehydrating fruit is a simple way to preserve food for later use. We will cover the basics of making your own healthy fruit rolls/snacks for your family and what to look for when purchasing a dehydrator. There will be tasting samples.

Children are always welcome to come and play while you learn. Older children are welcome to come learn with us. Space is limited to the first 12-15 people so send me an email at tamara.e.price@gmail.com  if you are interested and I will reserve you a spot.

Dehydrated Vegetables

Dehydrated carrots, celery, and onions

Dehydrated vegetables are delicious when they are re-hydrated correctly and they expand the meals you can make with storable ingredients. I love to use them in the Fall and Winter because they go so well into soups and stews.  I save hours in the kitchen each week since I don't have to wash and chop all the vegetables. I also find myself using them in the Spring and Summer to add color to salads and to make easy mixes that we can take backpacking or camping.

Potato cheese soup made with dehydrated carrots, celery, and onions.

Nutritionally, dehydrated, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins we need.  There has always been an argument about fresh vs. processed foods.  Even health magazines suggest that produce that is processed at its peak of ripeness (in-season) may contain higher amounts of vitamins than produce that is picked green and then shipped to its destination.

With this thought in mind, we eat from our garden all Summer and Fall and then bottle and freeze any extra for the Winter and Spring.  I also store dehydrated fruits and vegetables to give us the variety we are used to.  You can purchase dehydrated carrots and onions from the LDS cannery.  Some local stores carry dehydrated fruits and vegetables in their bulk section or in #10 cans. You can also order from many different places online.

Dehydrated vegetables will double in size after hydrating so keep that in mind as you decide just how much to use.  Soak in warm water for 15-20 minutes.  If making a soup, just drop in a handful while everything else is simmering.  If using just a few onions or peppers for added flavor, just put some in a glass bowl and cover with a little water.  Microwave for 30 seconds and then drain off any excess water.

I love to make mixes for soup and rice pilaf with these dried vegetables.  Then I can have a just add water meal straight from my food storage.

Make room in your pantry so the cans are easily accessible and you will find that you use them a lot more often.

Storable Dinner - Simple Pot Pie

Using food storage doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  For dinner the other night, I needed something fast and dairy-free.  My husband's cousin teaches my children piano lessons in our home and always stays for dinner with us.  She can't have milk so I always have to get a little creative on the nights she is coming.

I had some beef stew in my storage that was old enough I needed to rotate it.  I read the label and sure enough it was dairy-free so I decided I would turn it into a pot pie.

I opened the cans and poured them into a 9x13-inch pan.  You can easily make a smaller batch - just use less beef stew.  I ended up needing 5 cans to fill the pan.

I then sprinkled about 1/4 cup flour over the top and mixed it in.  The flour will help it thicken up as it cooks so it isn't as thin as beef stew.

Then I rolled out a pie crust between two layers of plastic wrap to fit the top of the pan.

Pie crust freezes very well so I always keep some in the freezer.  I needed two crusts to fit a 9x13-inch pan.

Rolling out between two pieces of plastic wrap keeps the kitchen clean, but also keeps the ratio of flour to fat where it needs to be for a crispy crust.

Get it as thin as possible.

Measure it by placing your pan on top - you want it to extend past the sides by about 1 inch. 

Take off the top layer of plastic wrap and pick up the dough

Flip it over on top of the pie and remove the final piece of plastic wrap

 Make it a little pretty by crimping the edges and cut a few vent holes in the top.

Bake at 400° F for 25-30 minutes until the pie crust is lightly browned.  Serve with some canned or bottled fruit for a quick and easy dairy-free meal all with storable ingredients.