Dried Beans – The How To’s of Preparing, Cooking and Storing

How To Store Dried Beans

Dry beans should be stored at room temperature in covered containers. They will keep almost indefinitely. Do not keep dry beans in the refrigerator. The plastic bags beans are packaged in are good for storage if they are airtight. Once opened, the bag may be reclosed with a twist tie. For the longest storage life, keep beans in a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lids.

Rinsing

Do not rinse beans until you are ready to soak or cook them. Even then you do not have to rinse beans if you’re going to soak them. Any field dust will be removed and discarded with the soak water. If you cook the beans without soaking, rinse them after sorting.  

Soaking

The purpose of soaking is to begin rehydration before cooking, thereby reducing cooking time. Unsoaked beans take longer to cook and require more attention so they won’t cook dry. During soaking, beans make up their lost water, increasing up to twice their dried size. Enough water must be used to keep the beans covered while soaking. Once rehydrated, beans cook in 1 to 3 hours, depending on the type of bean.

There are basically two methods for soaking: long-soak and quick-soak. Both work equally well and differ only in the amount of time required to rehydrate the beans. Choose the one which best suits your time and schedule.

Long-soaking takes time and some advance planning, but needs very little effort. First, cover the beans with water at room temperature. Soak them overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. Keep the beans covered by water while soaking. Be sure the soak water is at room temperature. Hot water may cause the beans to sour. Cold water slows rehydration and the beans will take longer to cook. Cooking time will also be longer if beans are not soaked long enough – at least 8 hours. Beans soaked longer than 12 hours can absorb too much water and lose their characteristic texture and flavor. If you plan to cook beans for dinner and you want to use the long-soak method, start soaking in the morning. To cook beans for lunch, you’ll have to soak them overnight.

Quick-soaking rehydrates dried beans in little more than 1 hour. For most cooks, this is the most convenient method. Bring the beans and water for soaking to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat and cover the pot. Let the beans stand in the soak water for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, discard the soak water and cook the beans.

Hot-soak. The Preferred Hot Soak is the newest method for soaking beans. Instructions for the Preferred Hot Soak are as follows:

After sorting and rinsing the beans, in a large pot add 10 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 or 3 minutes, remove from heat, cover and stand at least 1 hour (quick-soak method), but preferably 4 hours or more; maximum 24 hours. (The longer soaking time is recommended to allow a greater amount of sugar to dissolve, thus helping the beans to be more easily digested.) Whether you soak the beans for one hour or several, discard soak water; rinse beans and pan. Return beans to pan, add fresh cold water to fully cover the beans, 1-2 teaspoons oil or shortening and 2 teaspoons salt, if desired. Simmer the beans gently with the lid tilted until they are tender, to avoid breaking the skins. If you wish to further season your cooked beans, adding vegetables and spices to the cooking water will enhance their flavor.

Bean Arithmetic

• A pound of beans measures about 2 cups.
• Beans triple in volume when soaked and cooked.
• A cup of dry beans yields 3 cups cooked.
• A pound of dry beans yields 6 cups cooked.
• Use 3 cups of water per cup of dry beans for soaking.
• Simmer each pound of beans 2 hours after soaking.
• A pound of dry beans makes about 9 servings of baked beans.
• A pound of dry beans makes about 12 servings of bean soup.
• A one-pound can of cooked beans measures about 2 c.

Freezing Cooked Beans

If you plan to freeze all of the beans you cook, it’s a good idea to undercook them. This usually means cooking about 30 minutes less than the suggested cooking times. If you cook beans in your pressure cooker, reduce the cooking time by 1 to 1½ minutes. Undercooking will help the beans maintain their shape and texture as they thaw and reheat. Freeze beans in 1 to 2 cup portions so they’ll be easy to thaw and use. Freezer containers should be airtight and moisture proof. Leave enough space at the top of the container for expansion of the beans. Fill the container to 1 to 1½ inches from the top, making sure the beans are covered with liquid so they won’t dry out. Cooked beans will keep in the freezer 2 to 3 months. After that time their flavor and texture will begin to deteriorate.

 Thawing and Reheating Frozen Beans

Beans maintain their shape better if they are thawed slowly. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, for several hours at room temperature, or for about an hour in a pan of warm water. When the beans can be removed from their freezer container, put them in a saucepan to reheat and finish cooking

Source: www.countryconsultant.com/blogspot/?p=383

If you are interested in recipes that use dry beans, do a google search for "bean commission recipes" You will find quite a few states that have collected impressive lists of recipes.

Homemade Fruit by the Foot

Here is a great family experiment that turned out fabulously!

I mixed sugar free jello with applesauce. I did about one quart of applesauce to one small box of jello, but really you can just do it to taste.

I then spread the mixture onto parchment paper as thin and uniform as I could get it right on my dehydrator racks. (I have a huge, old dehydrator that takes a while to get things done, but lets me do huge batches.)

I fit three quarts of applesauce in. We did three different flavors - raspberry, peach, and strawberry-banana.

Here is my big, behemoth! Without a thermostat, it doesn't do as well with evenly drying so I have to rotate the racks, but I can sure get a lot done. I had to leave these in all day and over night.

Here is my more common sized dehydrator with a thermostat. It probably would have dried a batch in about 6 hours so I could have completed just as much in the same amount of time I just would have had to refill it a few times - and worry about getting up after only 6 hours of sleep to turn it off. It also has round trays so the parchment paper would have had to be trimmed and it wouldn't do the long "fruit by the foot" I was imagining. I opted for the big behemoth.

When it was thoroughly dry and leathery, I cut it in long strips.

Rolled them up.

And packaged them all ready for school lunches. So easy, no sugar added, rolls of sweet goodness - 

The kids have been loving them!

Chewy "Healthy" Chocolate Chip Cookies

I finally snagged some time to post this recipe you have all been asking for. These are the most amazing tasting chocolate chip cookies! No one ever believes that they are lower in sugar and contain only half the fat of a traditional recipe. They are also egg-free, which for some is important.

Chewy "Healthy" Chocolate Chip Cookies
You and your kids can eat all the dough they would like since there are no eggs! These cookies are lower in sugar, lower in fat, and lower in cholesterol. You can't get much healthier than that and still enjoy a cookie! This is the result of a year's worth of experiments. I'm so glad I didn't give up!
½ cup butter	2 tsp baking soda
½ cup white bean puree	1 Tbsp vanilla
⅔ cup sugar	¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed	1 cup chocolate chips
3 cups all-purpose flour	Oatmeal, coconut, chopped nuts (optional)
Cream together butter, bean puree and sugars. Add flour, baking soda, and vanilla. It will look pretty dry at this point. Slowly add in the oil and mix until it has pulled together into cookie dough consistency. Stir in chocolate chips and any other optional ingredients you'd like. Roll into balls and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° F for 8–10 minutes. Pull them out of the oven just as they are beginning to turn light brown in a couple of spots. They still look pretty doughy overall. Allow to rest on baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set and them move to a wire rack to cool. Makes 3 dozen.

Here it is just before adding the oil.

Slowly add the oil, and watch the dough pull together. (I have also made these cookies using 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour. When I use the whole wheat flour, I sometimes have to add just a touch more oil to see the dough come together.)

Here it is all ready for chocolate. Isn't it beautiful!

Add the chips and any other goodies you would like.

I always roll some of the dough up in plastic wrap and freeze to bake later.

Form into balls by pressing the dough together. Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with your hand.

Bake for about 8 minutes. You just want them to barely be turning brown. They still look quite fluffy. Allow them to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after pulling them from the oven so they can finish the baking process.

Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe consistently make these gorgeous cookies!

Sometimes I bake a few trays of just plain chocolate chip cookies, and then I add some other goodies to the rest of the dough. Here I added oatmeal, coconut, and chopped pecans. Be careful not to add too much or else you won't be able to press the dough together into a ball. (This batch was right on the edge of too much.)

I was still able to press the dough together, but the cookies didn't spread out much on the tray. They were still good, but know that you have been fairly warned - too much of a good thing can be too much. Enjoy!

Whole Grain Pancake Mix

Here's my latest and greatest attempt at a whole grain pancake that doesn't require eggs. The battery is dead on my camera so you'll just get to imagine how good they look. I'd wait until I could take pictures again, but that could be forever with as crazy as my life has been. I decided you would probably rather get the recipe now and not wait on photos. Enjoy! Whole Grain Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour	1 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup rolled oats	1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup corn meal	5 Tbsp dry milk powder
1/4 cup sugar	Approx. 1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp cinnamon	2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the water and mix well. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to soften the oats. Stir in the vinegar just before baking and add more water if needed to give you the right consistency. Cook on a hot griddle. This recipe can easily be turned into a large mix. Just multiply the recipe of the dry ingredients by 6 or more and store in an air tight container. To use: Measure out 3 cups of mix and then add the water and vinegar as in the recipe above.

Homemade Kettle Corn

Who doesn't love the kettle corn you can buy at the fair or other sporting events? It's just a little sweet and a bit salty - a combination we all go for. It is also very simple and inexpensive to make. It costs $5 around here for a bag of it from one of the food booths. I can make it for mere pennies and in a matter of minutes. It is an often requested snack around here.

It takes 1/4 cup hot oil, 1/4 cup brown or white sugar, and 1/2 cup popcorn seed.

It's helpful to have a Whirley-pop pan, but not necessary. (We found ours at the thrift store for $3.) You can just use a large pot with a lid and shake it over the burner until all the popcorn is popped.

When it is done popping, transfer to a bowl and sprinkle in a little salt while it is still warm. Stir to make sure the popcorn doesn't stick together as it cools. 

We use this as a snack often. We have also made batches to share with teachers or friends for gifts. It is great to give those who need a gluten-free snack or dessert. It is inexpensive,easy, and loved by all - what are you waiting for? Give it a try this week.

Homemade Kettle Corn
¼ cup oil	½ cup popcorn seed
¼ cup brown sugar, packed	Salt
Heat oil in bottom of a large, covered pan. We use a special Whirley-pop pan made for doing popcorn on the stove, but you can use a regular pan. Drop in 3 popcorn kernels. When the kernels pop, the oil is ready. Quickly add the brown sugar and popcorn seed. Replace the lid. If using a Whirley-pop pan, twist the handle until all popcorn is popped. If using a regular pan, shake the pan back and forth on the burner until all kernels are popped. Pour popcorn into a large bowl and add a little salt. Mix the popcorn with your hands as it cools so it doesn't stick together. You can use white sugar in place of the brown sugar. It gives it more of a popcorn ball flavor instead of a caramel flavor.

Animal Finger Puppets - a great gift!

Here is a quick and inexpensive homemade gift idea for young kids on your list. This idea comes from the March 1989 edition of the LDS Friend magazine. I came across an old copy of it years ago before the wonderful joy of the internet.

For the pattern template and easy to read instructions click here.

I can't tell you how many times we have used this pattern. I made a set of puppets for my oldest kids when they were young. They have been in my diaper bag through all the kids! We have also made copies of the pattern and put "kits" together to give to young friends for their birthdays or other special occasions. One year we also put "kits" together to give to the pediatric ward at the hospital to give the kids something fun to do.

It just takes some felt scraps, a package of wiggly eyes and a few tiny pom-poms. Everything is glued together - no sewing needed. Feel free to be creative. Use the pictures from the original article as a guide and then just have fun with it.

We used the alligator pattern to make a big, bad wolf and then we did 3 little pigs. You get the idea -

I always like to make sure some of our gifts are homemade each Christmas. I just have learned the gifts that you invest more time in are much more fun to give and I want my kids to learn this important lesson.

Happy Giving!

Preparing for the Holidays

October is an excellent time of year to PREPARE for the Holidays. Preparing means to be prepared for
anything. We don’t always expect the unexpected, but what if our source of income was suddenly lost, or a
family emergency or illness, or a local emergency was to befall us. What if we could only pull the Holidays
together with what we had stored? The First Presidency has counseled each of us to be prepared to sustain
our family for three months with storable meals on hand. Suppose those three months when we needed to
rely on our personal storage was the last 3 months of the year, would we be prepared?

One way to get ready for the Holidays is to do an inventory of what you have in your food storage. Then call
your family together and discuss: What are your favorite holiday meals and goodies? What traditions make
our holidays special, that we wouldn’t want to do without? What are you going to need if you want to make
them? How much can I purchase now, in October, to lighten the load for when it comes time for the big
Holiday rush? What do I have in my 3 month supply that I could use? What could I add to my supply, to
make sure I was prepared in all things? (Using what you have purchased at the next holiday and then
replacing it will help you cycle through your storage so nothing gets too old or goes bad.)

FHE: NEXT Monday gather as a family and enjoy talking about your favorite Thanksgiving and
Christmas traditions. Tell your favorite stories and reminisce. Talk about your favorite foods at this
wonderful time of year. Write down those dinners or desserts that you hope to have this year as you
celebrate. Talk about being prepared for the holidays and make a list of things you will need. According to
your budget and needs, purchase what you don’t have and stock up. Include things specific to your families
traditions. If you always have pumpkin pie, be sure to have canned pumpkin (whether store bought or you
canned it yourself) evaporated milk, spices, and ingredients for pie crust in your storage. Without being over
extravagant, evaluate your families basic needs to make the holidays fun and simple with what you would be
able to store. This will bring peace to your family, even if you suddenly were facing great turmoil.

CRAFT IDEAS FROM YOUR FOOD STORAGE:

NOODLE SNOWFLAKES
Use any kind of noodle you can find in your food storage. Like elbow macaroni, wagon wheels, rotini, and
bowties. First, lay a piece of wax paper down wherever you are working because you will need a generous
amount of glue to keep your masterpiece together. The wax paper will protect your table and will make it
easy to tear off once it is dry. Glue each pasta piece together to create your one of a kind snowflake. No two snowflakes are the same, right? Make sure you let it completely dry before you pick it up. When dry, use a piece of thread to hang up your snowflake.

SUGAR COOKIE NAME TAGS
To create these confectionery name tags, follow our recipe for sugar cookie dough. Form the cookies with a
tag-shaped cutter, then use a plastic straw to punch a hole in the pointed end of each treat before baking.
Customize each cookie by piping names and decorative edging with icing.
Yields: 16 cookies
Total Time: 2 hr 45 min Prep Time: 35 min Oven Temp: 400
Sugar cookie dough
2 stick(s) Softened Unsalted Butter
1 cup(s) Sugar
3 large Eggs
1 1/2teaspoon(s) Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon(s) Salt
3 1/4cup(s) All-Purpose Flour
Directions
1. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high, beat together softened unsalted butter and sugar
until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low and
gradually add all-purpose flour, beating until ingredients are combined. (Dough will be slightly
sticky.)
2. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and cover each in plastic wrap, patting into 1/2-inch-thick
squares. Chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll out dough, a square at a time, to 1/3 inch
thick. Cut out cookies using ornament- or tag-shaped cutters. Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking
sheet and chill for 10 minutes.
4. Bake until lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on pan or wire rack before decorating.

EDIBLE PUZZLE COOKIES
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup unsulfured molasses

Royal Icing 
1 pound confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons meringue powder
Scant 1/2 cup water
Directions:
Beat ingredients in a mixer bowl on low speed until smooth, about 7 minutes. If icing is too thick, add more
water; if too thin, beat 2 to 3 minutes more.Cook's Note: Don't add all the water at first; test on parchment
with the stencil to determine the best consistency.

For Cookies:
Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl; set aside.Mix butter and sugar with an
electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes; mix in spices and salt. Mix in egg and
molasses, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
Divide dough in half; pat into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

To make puzzles:
Cut rolled dough into six rectangles, each 6 by 9 inches (reroll scraps once). Transfer to a
parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Bake until cookies are set and edges
are just starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. While cookies are hot, use a pizza cutter or paring knife to cut
out desired puzzle shapes. Carefully lift edges of parchment to keep puzzle pieces together; transfer to a wire
rack. Let cool completely.
Fit a pastry bag with a 5/16-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #3); fill with 1/2 cup untinted royal icing. Tie
end with a rubber band; to prevent icing from drying out, stand bag, tip down, in a glass with a damp paper
towel in the bottom. Tint remaining icing as desired; fill another pastry bag the same way.
Outline each puzzle piece with tinted icing; fill outlined area with more icing, smoothing with an offset
spatula to make a thin layer. Let dry completely, about 1 hour. Keeping pieces together, use untinted icing to
outline the shape of a tree (design should overlap all pieces); decorate area inside outline as desired. One at a time, lift each piece; sprinkle with sanding sugar, tapping off any excess. Let dry 1 hour; package in boxes,
or store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

CHRISTMAS CRAYON GIFTS FOR KIDS:
You will need silicone bakeware & crayons – either use all of those broken up crayons or buy some cheap
ones at the dollar store. Peel all of the wrappings off of the crayons. Break the crayons into small pieces, the
smaller they are the better they will blend), You can use the same color of crayons or mix to make your own
color. For thick crayons fill to the top of the shape, for skinnier ones only fill half way in the shape. Place in
the oven at 200 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes. Half way through cooking stir them. Once they are
completely melted, remove them from the oven and let them completely cool down before taking them out.

RECIPES FROM YOUR FOOD STORAGE:

COCOA MIX: 
15 Cups instant powdered milk
1 ½ Cups sugar
1 Cup dry cocoa
1 ½ tsp. salt
Makes enough for 10 quarts or 40 1-cup servings.
TO USE THE MIX: Add ½ cup of mix to 1 cup hot water for a warm drink or ice cold water for chocolate milk.

BUTTERMILK: To 1 Cup milk add 1 Tbsp. vinegar OR lemon juice and let stand for five minutes.

“EAGLE BRAND” SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK:
1 Cup HOT water, 4 Cups powdered milk, 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup butter
Blend very well in a blender. May be stored in the refrigerator or frozen.

WHIPPED TOPPING:
6 Tbsp. instant dry milk (3 ½ Tbsp. non-instant dry milk), 1 Cup boiling water, 2 Tbsp cold water, 1 tsp.
vanilla, 2 tsp. unflavored gelatin, 2-4 Tbsp. sugar
Dissolve the milk in the cup of water and scald. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Combine the scalded milk,
dissolved gelatin and sugar. Stir and chill in the refrigerator until it jells. Now beat the mixture until it
acquires the consistency of whipped cream. Add the vanilla and whip again.

EGGNOG: Makes about 3 cups
Combine in blender or large bowl:
3 eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup non-instant dry milk powder OR a shy cup of instant milk powder, ½ cup sugar, 2 cups water, 1 TBSP rum flavoring, nutmeg to taste.
Beat or blend until foamy. Chill before serving. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

MAPLE SYRUP:
1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tsp maple flavoring, 1 tsp vanilla

“ALMOND JOY” Candy bar:
¾ cup mashed potatoes, (potato pearls already mixed with water will do), Whole almonds, 2 Cups dry
powdered milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 4 cups coconut, 2 Boxes bakers or dipping chocolate, your choice

Mix mashed potatoes and powdered milk until well blended, set aside. Mix together vanilla and coconut.
Add with potato mixture and mix well. Shape into balls or whatever shape you desire. Top with almonds
and cover with melted sweet chocolate. Let set and serve.

“OH HARRY” Bars: 1/2 Cup melted butter or margarine, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 Cup Karo syrup, 1/2 Cup
peanut butter, 1 Cup brown sugar, 4 Cups oats, 1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips

In heavy saucepan, mix together butter or margarine, peanut butter, vanilla, brown sugar and Karo syrup.
Heat until dissolved. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Press into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 375
degrees F for 15 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cut into bars.