Beans Under Pressure

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 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Embracing SPAM

By Kellene Bishop

I’ve encountered some pretty strong facial expressions when I insinuate that having SPAM in one’s food storage is an asset. And to be forthright, I totally get it. Even when we were dirt poor, my mother never made us eat it. However, I wasn’t educated in matters of emergency preparedness then either. But I certainly am now, and as a result, have come to embrace the wonders of SPAM. I’ve discovered that if I cook with it much like I would chicken or pork in a recipe, then it’s delightful.

And no, the irony that I’m writing about SPAM today in face of the Swine Flu has not escaped me. I guess I’m just warped that way.

I have some great recipes that I’ve tried out and adapted for “food storage” available ingredients, but before I do that, I thought I’d share a couple of factoids about SPAM for you.

A 2 ounce serving contains 7 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat—two important components for the body during an emergency.

Residents of Hawaii and Guam consume the most amount of SPAM per capita than any of the other areas, including 41 countries in which SPAM is sold. In fact, SPAM is sold on the McDonald’s menu in Guam and the Burger King menu in Hawaii—known as the “Hawaiian Steak.”

SPAM was widely used during World War II in Okinawa and the Philippines due to it being an effective way to get meat to the front lines. Soldiers had to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As such, they began to joke that SPAM was simply “ham that didn’t pass its physical” or “meatloaf without basic training.” Surpluses of SPAM from the soldiers' supplies made their way into native diets. Consequently, SPAM is a unique part of the history and effects of U.S. influence in the Pacific.

SPAM comes in 12 different flavor varieties, including garlic, hot and spicy, and a roasted turkey version.

Due to its low cost, it’s long been stigmatized as “poor people food.”

SPAM is consumed all over the world in fried rice, stir fried with noodles, in sandwiches, burritos, and fried on the sides and served with eggs. It’s even been used in sushi rolls.

Every year, Austin, MN has a Jam celebration in honor of the food which includes fireworks and a carnival-type setting. Waikiki, HI does something similar as well each year. Austin, TX holds a Spamarama each year which conducts a Cook-off Contest as well.

My suggestion is that you begin familiarizing yourself with SPAM now, so that you can successfully use it in your meal preparation in the (not so distant?) future.

Fritatta

3 tbsp butter or oleo or vegetable oil

7-oz can SPAM, cubed

1/4"1/2 cup of dried chopped onion

10 pitted black olives, chopped

1/2 cup of dried chopped green pepper

6 eggs (or equivalent of dried eggs, rehydrated)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (or dried equivalent)

2 tbsp water

1/4 tsp pepper

In 10-inch omelet pan or skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and potatoes; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (5 to 7 minutes). Add SPAM and olives; continue cooking until SPAM is heated through. Loosen sautéed ingredients from bottom of pan; add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Tilt pan to cover bottom with butter. In small bowl mix eggs, water, and pepper; pour over SPAM mixture. Cover; cook over low heat 12 to 15 minutes or until egg mixture is set on top. With pancake turner, loosen edges and bottom; invert onto serving platter. Yield: 6 servings

Hearty Spam and Bean Soup

2 cups dried pinto beans, wash and soak overnight (or make this in a pressure cooker)

12 oz can SPAM, cubed 1/2"

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 quart water

3 bay leaves

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp cumin

2 (13-oz) cans tomato juice

1 (14-oz) cans chicken stock

1 medium onion, chopped (or dried equivalent)

In 4-quart saucepan add all ingredients; stir to blend. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until soup is thickened (3 to 4 hours or 30 minutes in a pressure cooker). Remove bay leaves. Yield: 6 servings

Spaghetti SPAM Carbonara

1 1/2 lbs spaghetti

3 tbsp butter3 tbsp olive oil

12-oz can SPAM, cubed 1/4"

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsleyground pepper

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in skillet cook SPAM and onion in oil and butter over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside. When spaghetti is cooked, drain; return to pot. Add eggs; toss to combine. Add SPAM mixture, cheese and parsley; toss to combine. Season to taste with pepper. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

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

EZ Preparedness Recipes

I thought I’d give you a break today from all of the preparedness “thinking.” So today I’m simply providing you with two yummy recipes – Spam Friend Rice and Mexi-Cincy Chili – that you can easily make from what’s in your cupboards right now. Hopefully, knowing that you can make use of what you’ve got on hand (or can at least easily have on hand) will lessen any anxiety you may have in surviving a disruption to your regular way of life.

Be Safe and Be Prepared—Kellene

Spam Fried Rice

This recipe is an ideal use of Spam, the meat that seems to store as long as a Twinkie. And it’s an easy “dump” kind of recipe. Don’t shy away from this recipe just because it has Spam in it. If you don’t tell anyone, I’m certain they will never crinkle their nose to the Spam notion. J

Note: If you elect to make it as a non-food storage meal, you can use 8 to 10 ounces of boneless, diced pork chops and add a couple of stalks of sliced green onions (white and green portion) and use frozen peas instead.

As a food-storage meal, you can also substitute the Spam for canned chicken or canned baby shrimp too, if you prefer.

1 12 oz can of Spam, cut into small square pieces
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 package (6.2 oz.) of Rice-A-Roni Fried Rice flavor (The store brands work just as well for this recipe)
2 cups of water
1 can of peas- drained
Soy sauce for serving (optional)

Place the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. And heat it over medium-high heat. Add the Spam pieces and cook, stirring until the Spam is browned a bit, 2-3 minutes.
Add the Rice-a-Roni including the seasoning contents. Pour in 2 cups of water and stir to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the peas and warm a bit longer, 3-5 minutes. Serve at once with soy sauce as desired.

Fuel conservation note: If you merely heat up the pan enough to bring the water to boiling, you needn’t continue to cook it on your fuel source. You can merely let the dish set for a while (about 30 – 45 minutes) and let it naturally absorb the water. The Spam is safe to eat whether it’s heated or not.

Mexi-Cincy Chili

This “chili” dish is actually served on top of cooked spaghetti. It’s commonly served this way in Cincinnati, OH. The chocolate ingredient is a take-off of Mexican mole’ cooking. It is often served with black beans instead of or in addition to beef, and is usually accompanied by shredded cheddar cheese on top. If you don’t have real cheese on hand in your food storage, you can also use Velveeta on top for serving.

1 can of canned beef (about 16 ounces)
1 tablespoon of granulated onion
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 cans of diced tomatoes. (You can use stewed tomatoes as well)
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground allspice
8 - 10 oz. of cooked and drained spaghetti

Sautee the beef, onion and garlic in your intended cooking pan (pressure cooker or Dutch oven). Cook and stir with a wooden spoon to break up the lumps and until the beef is heated through (about 4-5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and their liquid, water, tomato sauce, chili powder, cinnamon, cocoa, and all spice. If you’re cooking this in a Dutch oven, simply cook it low and slow for about 8 hours stirring occasionally.

If you’re cooking this in a pressure cooker, cover and bring the pressure cooker to low pressure. Cook for about 30 minutes for maximum flavor. You can use the quick release method when the time is up.

Top the spaghetti with your cooked mixture and enjoy!

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

Preparedness Pro Note: If you would like Kellene Bishop to present an Emergency Preparedness message for your community or church group, please contact us at 801-788-4133. Ms. Bishop is an experienced speaker on Emergency Preparedness topics and also has created a great “Preparedness Party” platform which makes the learning of such a topic more enjoyable for all.