Pasta:
Red Bell Pesto Veggie Pasta(Vegetarian):
Perk's Smoked Salmon Pasta:
Perk's Beef Stroganoff:
Spicy Mussel Noodle Bowl by Perk:
Red Bean Stew with Pasta by Perk:
DIY Trail Spaghetti:
At home:
In camp:
Notes:
FBC Mac & Cheese (vegetarian):
I took 4 boxes of Organic White Cheddar Shells (6 ounce boxes). I boiled the pasta for a shy 9 minutes (about 1 1/2 minutes less than called for on the box). When done, I drained the pasta, then spread on parchment lined trays on my dehydrator.
I dried the pasta at 135* till dry (the time will depend on type of pasta and humidity.)
When dry, I weighed out the pasta, and split it among 4 quart freezer bags. Weight was roughly 4 1/2 ounces in each bag. I then packed with each bag:
In camp pour boiling water over the pasta (to just cover). Seal well, and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Drain off most of the water, leaving in about 1/4 cup. Add in the milk powder, cheese sauce powder and oil. Stir well and enjoy.
Knowing my son, the 6 ounce box will feed 1. As in him.
Works well with dried mushrooms, diced sun dried tomatoes and tuna pouches. By adding vegetables and meat you can feed two.
Make Your Own FBC Mac & Cheese (vegetarian):
Parmesan Cheese Mix:
Colchuck Lake, Early summer 2004.
At home:
Split a packet of Knorr® Red Bell Pepper Pesto Mix into 4 portions. I used craft bags for this. 1 bag per meal.
In a quart freezer bag put:
4 ounces cooked and dehydrated pasta (weight after drying)
1/4 cup freeze dried vegetables
(I also added a couple Tbsp of home dried thinly chopped mushrooms to my bag)
Also take:
4 or so packets of Parmesan cheese (or up to 1/4 cup of shelf stable cheese)
1 packet olive oil (1 Tbsp)
Cover pasta & vegetables with boiling water. Push out air, seal well and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Open bag and if any left over water, drain off most of it, leaving a bit behind. Add in oil, pesto mix and mix well. Top with cheese, stir again and enjoy.
Each bag serves 1. Using 1/4 of the pesto pack per meal gives good flavor without being too strong.
Would work well with chicken or dried hamburger added, if desired.
Split a packet of Knorr® Red Bell Pepper Pesto Mix into 4 portions. I used craft bags for this. 1 bag per meal.
In a quart freezer bag put:
4 ounces cooked and dehydrated pasta (weight after drying)
1/4 cup freeze dried vegetables
(I also added a couple Tbsp of home dried thinly chopped mushrooms to my bag)
Also take:
4 or so packets of Parmesan cheese (or up to 1/4 cup of shelf stable cheese)
1 packet olive oil (1 Tbsp)
Cover pasta & vegetables with boiling water. Push out air, seal well and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Open bag and if any left over water, drain off most of it, leaving a bit behind. Add in oil, pesto mix and mix well. Top with cheese, stir again and enjoy.
Each bag serves 1. Using 1/4 of the pesto pack per meal gives good flavor without being too strong.
Would work well with chicken or dried hamburger added, if desired.
Perk's Smoked Salmon Pasta:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 cup cooked dried pasta (penne or mac)
1 tsp Butter Buds® (1 Tbsp Butter or margarine can be used.)
1/4 cup dry sweet or regular onion
1 chicken bullion cube, crushed (or low sodium if preferred)
2 Tbsp dry milk
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 packets)
2 Tbsp tomato power (or tomato soup mix)
1/4 cup freeze dried peas
Dash of dill, salt, coarse grind black pepper
In Camp: Add boiling water to cover and cozy 10 minutes. Shake to mix several times. When pasta seems done, add 2 oz smoked salmon (skinned & diced) and toss. (You can find small pkgs of smoked salmon in vac sealed bags in grocery stores.)
Serves 2.
1 cup cooked dried pasta (penne or mac)
1 tsp Butter Buds® (1 Tbsp Butter or margarine can be used.)
1/4 cup dry sweet or regular onion
1 chicken bullion cube, crushed (or low sodium if preferred)
2 Tbsp dry milk
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 packets)
2 Tbsp tomato power (or tomato soup mix)
1/4 cup freeze dried peas
Dash of dill, salt, coarse grind black pepper
In Camp: Add boiling water to cover and cozy 10 minutes. Shake to mix several times. When pasta seems done, add 2 oz smoked salmon (skinned & diced) and toss. (You can find small pkgs of smoked salmon in vac sealed bags in grocery stores.)
Serves 2.
Perk's Beef Stroganoff:
In a quart freezer bag put:
2 Tbsp powdered milk
1 tsp Butter Buds® (or use fresh butter/margarine, 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp tomato powder (or tomato soup mix)
1 Tbsp flour
Dash of pepper
2 Tbsp dried onion
1 cube beef bullion (crushed) (or use low sodium Beef bullion)
1/4 Cup diced dried mushroom slices (or freeze dried mushrooms)
1 Cup cooked & dehydrated noodles (egg noodles work well, see drying section.)
1/2 cup dried hamburger
In Camp top with boiling water and cozy for 10 minutes.
Serves 2.
2 Tbsp powdered milk
1 tsp Butter Buds® (or use fresh butter/margarine, 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp tomato powder (or tomato soup mix)
1 Tbsp flour
Dash of pepper
2 Tbsp dried onion
1 cube beef bullion (crushed) (or use low sodium Beef bullion)
1/4 Cup diced dried mushroom slices (or freeze dried mushrooms)
1 Cup cooked & dehydrated noodles (egg noodles work well, see drying section.)
1/2 cup dried hamburger
In Camp top with boiling water and cozy for 10 minutes.
Serves 2.
Spicy Mussel Noodle Bowl by Perk:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 Cup cooked & dried pasta (linguine works well)
2 Tbs dry onion
1 Tbs dry green bell pepper
4 oz cooked turkey sausage, dried (or you could use summer sausage)
1 tsp granulated garlic
Dash of saffron, black pepper, parsley
1 chicken bullion cube, crushed
1/8 cup dried tomato chunks (or sun dried tomatoes, non oil variety)
In camp: Add 1 foil pouch smoked mussels. Add boiling water to cover and cozy 10 minutes.
Optional: If first night, replace sausage with a baggies of cooked chorizo or sliced kielbasa. Also, ½ cup of white wine added is nice if you carry wine with you.
Serves 2.
1 Cup cooked & dried pasta (linguine works well)
2 Tbs dry onion
1 Tbs dry green bell pepper
4 oz cooked turkey sausage, dried (or you could use summer sausage)
1 tsp granulated garlic
Dash of saffron, black pepper, parsley
1 chicken bullion cube, crushed
1/8 cup dried tomato chunks (or sun dried tomatoes, non oil variety)
In camp: Add 1 foil pouch smoked mussels. Add boiling water to cover and cozy 10 minutes.
Optional: If first night, replace sausage with a baggies of cooked chorizo or sliced kielbasa. Also, ½ cup of white wine added is nice if you carry wine with you.
Serves 2.
Red Bean Stew with Pasta by Perk:
1/4 cup dried mushrooms (or freeze dried)
1/4 cup dried carrot
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
Dash of black pepper
1/4 cup kidney beans, cook and dried (canned & dehydrated)
1/4 cup dried tomatoes, crumbled (or sundried)
1 beef bullion cube, crushed
1 cup cooked, dried pasta, cooked & dried
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese (4 packets)
In camp add boiling water to cover and cozy 15 minutes.
Serves 2.
1/4 cup dried carrot
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
Dash of black pepper
1/4 cup kidney beans, cook and dried (canned & dehydrated)
1/4 cup dried tomatoes, crumbled (or sundried)
1 beef bullion cube, crushed
1 cup cooked, dried pasta, cooked & dried
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese (4 packets)
In camp add boiling water to cover and cozy 15 minutes.
Serves 2.
Beef Stroganoff:
3 Tbsp powdered sour
cream (see ingredient page)
1 Pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup dehydrated ground beef
1/3 cup thinly sliced
dried mushrooms
1 Tbsp dried onion
1 1/3 Cups Chinese instant
noodles (you can use ramen or choka soba noodles also)
If you don't have sour cream powder on hand, a packet of cream cheese is a good substitute.
At Home:
Put sour cream powder and nutmeg in a small bag.
Remaining ingredients go in a separate quart freezer bag.
In camp:
Pour 2 cups boiling water into main bag. Stir and put in a cozy for 10
minutes. Drain off the broth-this makes a nice starter soup if you like. Add
nutmeg and sour cream powder to the bag and any extra broth as needed and mix
well.
Serves1 - 2.
DIY Trail Spaghetti:
At home:
Cook a 16 ounce package pasta of choice. Cut the cooking time by 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse. Spread on two dehydrator trays and dry at 135* till hard and fully dry (see above for hints).
On the other two trays, line with parchment paper. Spread a jar of pasta/spaghetti sauce of choice on the two trays evenly(24-32 ounce size jar). Dry at 135*. Halfway through its drying, when it is dry enough to touch (a bit tacky is ok), pop the leather off the parchment paper, and flip over, so it evenly dries. You want a dry leather, with no tacky or sticky spots. When cool, rip into small pieces, or whirl into a blender.
You can also combine the sauce with pasta and dry it combined.
Either way, look at your appetite at home: do you eat a lot? Or little? Will you be adding dried hamburger? 4 ounces is a serving that will fill up smaller stomaches, but if you are a man with a big appetite, you may need 8 ounces of pasta. The dried sauce and pasta can be split into 1- 4 servings. If you dried the sauce separately, pack it into a quart freezer bag, the pasta into another one.
You can also combine the sauce with pasta and dry it combined.
Either way, look at your appetite at home: do you eat a lot? Or little? Will you be adding dried hamburger? 4 ounces is a serving that will fill up smaller stomaches, but if you are a man with a big appetite, you may need 8 ounces of pasta. The dried sauce and pasta can be split into 1- 4 servings. If you dried the sauce separately, pack it into a quart freezer bag, the pasta into another one.
In camp:
Pour boiling water over the pasta, to cover. Seal and put into a cozy for 10 minutes. For the sauce, if you are using 1 serving, add 1/2 cup boiling water, stir and let sit in a cozy for 5 minutes. Check if it needs water, add up to 1/4 cup more water. Toss with hot pasta and add lots of Parmesan cheese!
Notes:
If you would like to add dried hamburger, add it with the pasta. You can also add dried mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, etc.
Avoid "vodka" sauces as they contain cream, the higher fat content can be an issue for long term storage. Store your dried sauces in your freezer, tightly wrapped till trip time.
Avoid "vodka" sauces as they contain cream, the higher fat content can be an issue for long term storage. Store your dried sauces in your freezer, tightly wrapped till trip time.
FBC Mac & Cheese (vegetarian):
I took 4 boxes of Organic White Cheddar Shells (6 ounce boxes). I boiled the pasta for a shy 9 minutes (about 1 1/2 minutes less than called for on the box). When done, I drained the pasta, then spread on parchment lined trays on my dehydrator.
I dried the pasta at 135* till dry (the time will depend on type of pasta and humidity.)
When dry, I weighed out the pasta, and split it among 4 quart freezer bags. Weight was roughly 4 1/2 ounces in each bag. I then packed with each bag:
1 cheese sauce packet
2 Tbsp dry milk
1 packet olive oil
2 Tbsp dry milk
1 packet olive oil
In camp pour boiling water over the pasta (to just cover). Seal well, and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Drain off most of the water, leaving in about 1/4 cup. Add in the milk powder, cheese sauce powder and oil. Stir well and enjoy.
Knowing my son, the 6 ounce box will feed 1. As in him.
Works well with dried mushrooms, diced sun dried tomatoes and tuna pouches. By adding vegetables and meat you can feed two.
Make Your Own FBC Mac & Cheese (vegetarian):
Parmesan Cheese Mix:
1 cup nonfat dry milk
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese (shelf stable type)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly closed container (plastic bag or tub). Keeps for 4 months, stored away from heat. Long term storage in the refrigerator is a good choice.
To use:
Combine 1/4 cup mix with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/4 cup water.
Notes: Add salt in camp to taste. This mix will work well with cooked and dehydrated pasta. 1/4 cup of the dry mix works with 4-5 ounces of dehydrated pasta. (Weight after cooking/drying). Olive oil works fine instead of butter as well. (1 packet is all you need)
You can also find dried cheeses from a number of companies online, that could be used instead of the Parmesan. Use dehydrated cheese, not freeze dried though.
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese (shelf stable type)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly closed container (plastic bag or tub). Keeps for 4 months, stored away from heat. Long term storage in the refrigerator is a good choice.
To use:
Combine 1/4 cup mix with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/4 cup water.
Notes: Add salt in camp to taste. This mix will work well with cooked and dehydrated pasta. 1/4 cup of the dry mix works with 4-5 ounces of dehydrated pasta. (Weight after cooking/drying). Olive oil works fine instead of butter as well. (1 packet is all you need)
You can also find dried cheeses from a number of companies online, that could be used instead of the Parmesan. Use dehydrated cheese, not freeze dried though.
Colchuck Lake, Early summer 2004.
Lipton's® Packets:Yes, it can be done in a freezer bag.....
But! Do not do this on the trail till you try it at home!
You can use any of the Lipton® side dish packets they sell in grocery stores-the small noodle ones work best, think angel hair ones. If it calls for milk, just rember: 1/3 cup of dried milk for every cup of milk called for (add the powdered milk before you add the water). The meals are just fine without butter or oil added. Package the meal (plus powdered milk if milk is called for) into a quart freezer bag. Add the amount of water called for (ie...if it calls for 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup milk, you would add 2 cups water). Make sure your water is at full boil. Stir well, and pop in a cozy for 10-20 minutes. Each type of meal is different, and will do differently. Please try it out at home first, and see how it works for you.
Ramen Recipes:
Shrimp Sesame Noodles:
Thai Ginger Chicken Noodles:
Cheesy Ramen:
Return To Top.
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 block shrimp flavored ramen with 1/4 of the seasoning packet added
2 Tbsp dried diced carrots
2 Tbsp dried onions
pinch of red pepper flakes
Also bring:
1 foil pouch of shrimp
1-2 tsp sesame oil in a leak proof container
Add about 1 1/2 cups boiling water to the ramen bag. Push air out, seal well and mix by gently shaking and rolling the bag, till the ramen starts to just soften. Put the bag in a cozy for 10 minutes, tucking the shrimp pouch underneath, to warm it up.
Opening one corner a bit, drain off the water, add in the shrimp, and toss with the sesame oil.
Serves 1-2, depending on how hungry you are.
Note: By using only 1/4 of the seasoning packet, you keep the sodium levels at a decent rate, yet still get some of the flavor. If one desires, they can add more seasoning, or keep the broth and have it as a ramen bowl.
1 block shrimp flavored ramen with 1/4 of the seasoning packet added
2 Tbsp dried diced carrots
2 Tbsp dried onions
pinch of red pepper flakes
Also bring:
1 foil pouch of shrimp
1-2 tsp sesame oil in a leak proof container
Add about 1 1/2 cups boiling water to the ramen bag. Push air out, seal well and mix by gently shaking and rolling the bag, till the ramen starts to just soften. Put the bag in a cozy for 10 minutes, tucking the shrimp pouch underneath, to warm it up.
Opening one corner a bit, drain off the water, add in the shrimp, and toss with the sesame oil.
Serves 1-2, depending on how hungry you are.
Note: By using only 1/4 of the seasoning packet, you keep the sodium levels at a decent rate, yet still get some of the flavor. If one desires, they can add more seasoning, or keep the broth and have it as a ramen bowl.
Thai Ginger Chicken Noodles:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 package noodles from Thai Ginger soup
1/2 the flavor packet
1 Tbsp dried carrots
1Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp dried shredded cabbage
1/8 tsp dried red chili flakes
Also take:
1 3 or 5 ounce can chicken
1-2 Tbsp shredded coconut
Add the chicken and 1 cup boiling water to the bag. Mix well and put in a cozy for about 5 minutes. Do not let sit to long, as the noodles can get mushy.
Drain off any remaining water, leaving a little behind ( a Tbsp or two) and stir in the other half of the flavor packet, along with the oil. Top with coconut and eat!
Serves 1.
Notes: By adding half of the flavor packet first, the noodles get some flavor while "cooking" but you drain off some of it. The other half of the packet gives a flavor punch at the end. Overall, while I wouldn't recommend this for those on a low sodium diet the dish has reasonable amounts of sodium, about 800-1,000 for a very filling dish (depending on how much chicken used). This dish would also work well vegetarian. Leave the chicken out and add in cashews chopped up with the coconut. Yum!
1 package noodles from Thai Ginger soup
1/2 the flavor packet
1 Tbsp dried carrots
1Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp dried shredded cabbage
1/8 tsp dried red chili flakes
Also take:
1 3 or 5 ounce can chicken
1-2 Tbsp shredded coconut
Add the chicken and 1 cup boiling water to the bag. Mix well and put in a cozy for about 5 minutes. Do not let sit to long, as the noodles can get mushy.
Drain off any remaining water, leaving a little behind ( a Tbsp or two) and stir in the other half of the flavor packet, along with the oil. Top with coconut and eat!
Serves 1.
Notes: By adding half of the flavor packet first, the noodles get some flavor while "cooking" but you drain off some of it. The other half of the packet gives a flavor punch at the end. Overall, while I wouldn't recommend this for those on a low sodium diet the dish has reasonable amounts of sodium, about 800-1,000 for a very filling dish (depending on how much chicken used). This dish would also work well vegetarian. Leave the chicken out and add in cashews chopped up with the coconut. Yum!
Cheesy Ramen:
In a quart freezer bag put 1 3 ounce block ramen noodles.
Also pack 1-2 tubs cheese sauce. (This can be found at Papa John's® pizza joints, thru Enertia foods, or in cases at some club stores. If you can't find the tubs or tubes, Velveeta® can be used.)
In camp pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups boiling water into the bag of noodles. Seal and squish around. Let sit in a cozy for about 10 minutes. Drain out water and add cheese sauce.
Serves 1.
Also pack 1-2 tubs cheese sauce. (This can be found at Papa John's® pizza joints, thru Enertia foods, or in cases at some club stores. If you can't find the tubs or tubes, Velveeta® can be used.)
In camp pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups boiling water into the bag of noodles. Seal and squish around. Let sit in a cozy for about 10 minutes. Drain out water and add cheese sauce.
Serves 1.
Ramen Pot Pie:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 package chicken flavored ramen with seasoning packet. Break up the ramen.
1 pouch or can of chicken (3-7 ounces depending on your taste)
A quart freezer bag with instant mashed potatoes. (I would recommend the Idahoan® ones that have everything in them, or use the cup version that has everything in it.)
In camp add 2 cups boiling water to the ramen. Add in the chicken. Pop in a cozy for 10 minutes or so, then start adding the potatoes till it becomes nice and thick.
Serves 2.
Notes:This is a salty meal, but filling. Thanks to Bill who sent me this recipe.
1 package chicken flavored ramen with seasoning packet. Break up the ramen.
1 pouch or can of chicken (3-7 ounces depending on your taste)
A quart freezer bag with instant mashed potatoes. (I would recommend the Idahoan® ones that have everything in them, or use the cup version that has everything in it.)
In camp add 2 cups boiling water to the ramen. Add in the chicken. Pop in a cozy for 10 minutes or so, then start adding the potatoes till it becomes nice and thick.
Serves 2.
Notes:This is a salty meal, but filling. Thanks to Bill who sent me this recipe.
Mountain Spaghetti (Low Sodium/Vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 block ramen or choka soba noodles
1 block ramen or choka soba noodles
In a small zip bag put:
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Also take 2 packets or 2 Tbsp olive oil
Pour
1 1/2 cups boiling water over the ramen, seal bag, rotate bag till
ramen softens. Put ina cozy for 10 minutes. Drain. Add olive oil and
toss. Add in spices and
cheese and toss again.
Serves 1
Pasketti a la Stephen (Low Sodium/Vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
Angel Hair pasta – 1 serving, broken in half or thirds
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp granulated garlic
3-4 sun dried tomatoes (dry, not in oil), minced
handful of dried mushrooms of your choice, minced
handful of dried zucchini
Angel Hair pasta – 1 serving, broken in half or thirds
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp granulated garlic
3-4 sun dried tomatoes (dry, not in oil), minced
handful of dried mushrooms of your choice, minced
handful of dried zucchini
Also take 1 Tbsp olive oil or 1 packet
In camp, add olive oil and 1 1/2 cup boiling water, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes in a cozy. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 1
Herby Pasta (Low Sodium/Vegetarian):
8 ounces spaghetti, precooked and dried (break in thirds)
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp freeze dried chives
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/8 tsp black pepper
In camp:
Cover the noodles with boiling water, seal the bag, and put in a cozy for 5 minutes. Drain. Toss with oil and herbs.
Serves 1-2.
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Couscous Dishes:
Couscous cooking tips:
You can use either couscous in boxes or for a better buy, find it in bulk. Couscous is made from seminola, the same as pasta. It is pasta, it just doesn't need anything but boiling water to cook. You can find it in regular, whole wheat or in flavored varieties.
Basic cooking method:
Alfredo Chicken & Pasta:
Pizza In a Bag:
Italian couscous:
In a quart freezer bag put:
Add 1 1/4 cups boiling water and chicken (with juices). Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes.
Serves 1.
Spicy Beef & Tomato Couscous:
Curried Chicken Cranberry Couscous:
Mexican Chicken:
Chicken Italian:
Cranberry Couscous (low sodium/vegetarian):
Dried-Fruit Couscous (low-sodium/vegetarian):
You can use either couscous in boxes or for a better buy, find it in bulk. Couscous is made from seminola, the same as pasta. It is pasta, it just doesn't need anything but boiling water to cook. You can find it in regular, whole wheat or in flavored varieties.
Basic cooking method:
- 1 person: 1/3 cup couscous to 1/2 cup water
- 2 persons: 2/3 cup couscous to 1 cup water
Alfredo Chicken & Pasta:
In a pint freezer bag put:
1/3 cup couscous
1 Tbsp diced dried onion
1 Tbsp dry Alfredo mix
1 Tbsp dried milk
1 Tbsp shelf stable Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp diced dried garlic
Also take:
3 ounce can of chicken w/ pop top
Add the chicken with liquid and 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Stir again.
Serves 1.
1/3 cup couscous
1 Tbsp diced dried onion
1 Tbsp dry Alfredo mix
1 Tbsp dried milk
1 Tbsp shelf stable Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp diced dried garlic
Also take:
3 ounce can of chicken w/ pop top
Add the chicken with liquid and 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Stir again.
Serves 1.
Pizza In a Bag:
In a quart freezer bag put:
2/3 cup couscous
1 Tbsp diced sun dried tomatoes
1 Tbsp diced dried bell pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp dried diced garlic
Also take:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 4 ounce shelf stable sliced pepperoni
1 stick string cheese
Dice up the cheese. Add the pepperoni and oil to the bag with 1 cup boiling water, stir well. Seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Toss in cheese, stir in and let sit for another minute.
Serves 1 large appetite or 2 smaller ones.
2/3 cup couscous
1 Tbsp diced sun dried tomatoes
1 Tbsp diced dried bell pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp dried diced garlic
Also take:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 4 ounce shelf stable sliced pepperoni
1 stick string cheese
Dice up the cheese. Add the pepperoni and oil to the bag with 1 cup boiling water, stir well. Seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Toss in cheese, stir in and let sit for another minute.
Serves 1 large appetite or 2 smaller ones.
Italian couscous:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1/3 cup plain couscous
1/4 cup dried vegetables
1 Tbsp dried onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 cup low-moisture Parmesan cheese
Also take a 3-5 ounce can of chicken.
1/4 cup dried vegetables
1 Tbsp dried onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 cup low-moisture Parmesan cheese
Also take a 3-5 ounce can of chicken.
Add 1 1/4 cups boiling water and chicken (with juices). Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes.
Serves 1.
Spicy Beef & Tomato Couscous:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1/4 cup home dried hamburger
1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
3/4 cup couscous
1 1/2 tsp low sodium beef bouillon
2 Tbsp dried onions
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Also take 1 Tbsp olive oil
Add the olive oil and 1 1/2 cups boiling water and stir well. Put in a cozy and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff up well and serve. Salt to taste if needed.
Serves 2.
Trust me, 3/4 cup of couscous makes a lot! It would also make a great burrito filling with salsa and cheese!
Notes:
The original recipe called for beef jerky that was shredded in a blender at home beforehand. This could be used as well, but due to not being boiled as in the original, the jerky will most likely be still quite chewy.
I changed the recipe to using low sodium beef bouillon. You don't have to follow this, and can use vegetable or beef bouillon. This is a way though to watch the sodium content. The recipe also called for 1/2 tsp of sea salt. If you use normal bouillon, you don't need that extra salt!
Dried hamburger is very easy to make at home, but if you are a vegetarian or want an easy option, use flavored TVP! It is easy to use with a long shelf life. Harmony House Foods sells a great little sampler kit of TVP.
Sun dried tomatoes? My favorite to use is Just Tomatoes tomatoes. They are thin, easily crumbled and not chewy like most out there.
1/4 cup home dried hamburger
1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
3/4 cup couscous
1 1/2 tsp low sodium beef bouillon
2 Tbsp dried onions
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Also take 1 Tbsp olive oil
Add the olive oil and 1 1/2 cups boiling water and stir well. Put in a cozy and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff up well and serve. Salt to taste if needed.
Serves 2.
Trust me, 3/4 cup of couscous makes a lot! It would also make a great burrito filling with salsa and cheese!
Notes:
The original recipe called for beef jerky that was shredded in a blender at home beforehand. This could be used as well, but due to not being boiled as in the original, the jerky will most likely be still quite chewy.
I changed the recipe to using low sodium beef bouillon. You don't have to follow this, and can use vegetable or beef bouillon. This is a way though to watch the sodium content. The recipe also called for 1/2 tsp of sea salt. If you use normal bouillon, you don't need that extra salt!
Dried hamburger is very easy to make at home, but if you are a vegetarian or want an easy option, use flavored TVP! It is easy to use with a long shelf life. Harmony House Foods sells a great little sampler kit of TVP.
Sun dried tomatoes? My favorite to use is Just Tomatoes tomatoes. They are thin, easily crumbled and not chewy like most out there.
Curried Chicken Cranberry Couscous:
At home, in quart freezer bag mix:
3/4 cup couscous
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)
Also take:
1 7 ounce packet or 5 ounce can chicken
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced walnuts
In camp put the chicken and 1 1/4 cup boiling water in the bag. Let sit 8 minutes and then add in 1/4 cup walnuts and toss.
Serves 2.
3/4 cup couscous
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)
Also take:
1 7 ounce packet or 5 ounce can chicken
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced walnuts
In camp put the chicken and 1 1/4 cup boiling water in the bag. Let sit 8 minutes and then add in 1/4 cup walnuts and toss.
Serves 2.
Mexican Chicken:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1/3 cup couscous
2 Tbsp freeze dried vegetables
1 tsp each dried adobe & chipotle powder
1 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
½ tsp Mexican spice
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp granulated onion powder
Also take 1 3-5 ounce can chicken.
In camp, add ½ cup boiling water and chicken (with juices). Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes.
Fluff up and top off with some fresh ground pepper if desired.
For the dried adobe and chipotle powder, puree a can of the stuff and dehydrate until crumbly, run through a food processor/blender until it is almost a powder. Need to do the dehydrating outside, this stuff has a strong smell.
Serves 1.
Thank you to Paddln for the recipe!1/3 cup couscous
2 Tbsp freeze dried vegetables
1 tsp each dried adobe & chipotle powder
1 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
½ tsp Mexican spice
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp granulated onion powder
Also take 1 3-5 ounce can chicken.
In camp, add ½ cup boiling water and chicken (with juices). Stir well, seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes.
Fluff up and top off with some fresh ground pepper if desired.
For the dried adobe and chipotle powder, puree a can of the stuff and dehydrate until crumbly, run through a food processor/blender until it is almost a powder. Need to do the dehydrating outside, this stuff has a strong smell.
Serves 1.
Chicken Italian:
In a quart freezer bag put:
1/3 cup couscous
1/4 cup freeze dried mixed vegetables
2-3 Tbsp Knorr® Tomato With Basil soup mix (or any powder tomato soup mix)
1 Tbsp dry onion
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
Also take one 3-5 ounce can chicken.
Add chicken (with juices) with 1 cup boiling water. Stir very well. Seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Depending on personal taste, you may prefer up to 1/4 cup more water, as the recipe is very thick.
Serves 1.
1/3 cup couscous
1/4 cup freeze dried mixed vegetables
2-3 Tbsp Knorr® Tomato With Basil soup mix (or any powder tomato soup mix)
1 Tbsp dry onion
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
Also take one 3-5 ounce can chicken.
Add chicken (with juices) with 1 cup boiling water. Stir very well. Seal and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Depending on personal taste, you may prefer up to 1/4 cup more water, as the recipe is very thick.
Serves 1.
Cranberry Couscous (low sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 cup couscous
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp dried onion
2 tsp low sodium chicken bullion
Pepper to taste, salt, if desired.
Also take:
1 Tbsp or 1 packet olive oil
In camp pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water and add the oil. Stir
well and put in a cozy for 5 minutes. Would work well with either a 5 ounce can or 7 ounce pouch of chicken added with the boiling water.
Serves 1. 2 if chicken is added.
Dried-Fruit Couscous (low-sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 1/3 cups couscous
2 tsp low sodium bullion of choice
1/3 cup pitted dates, diced
1/3 cup dried figs or prunes, diced
Also take:
1 Tbsp or 1 packet olive oil
In camp add 2 cups boiling water and oil to bag. Stir well
and let sit in a cozy for 5 minutes.
Serves 2
In the snow near Panhandle Gap....dreaming of dinner, still 4 miles away....
Italian Dinner FBC Style On The Trail
Everything you need for a great meal with little thinking:
From Nic, who posts on the Backpacker.com forums, posted this fabulous meal for the backcountry:
"My scouts have pizza in a pot EVERY outing they plan. This is their absolute favorite menu."
(I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it a little more user friendly)
Pizza in a Pot:
While this is rehydrating, prepare cheese cake.
Garlic Toast: (done ahead of the trip)
Cheesecake:
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From Nic, who posts on the Backpacker.com forums, posted this fabulous meal for the backcountry:
"My scouts have pizza in a pot EVERY outing they plan. This is their absolute favorite menu."
(I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it a little more user friendly)
Pizza in a Pot:
At home cook up:
16 ounces rigatoni pasta
1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey), cooked with onion, mushrooms and green pepper as desired before dehydrating
Mix in:
1 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
Divide into 4 portions, on 4 trays of your dehydrator. Leave on till fully dry. Measure each portion and note on the bag how much it was. Bag into 4 quart freezer bags.
Also take:
1 string cheese per serving
Parmesan cheese (to taste)
pepperoni (you can find shelf stable pepperoni slices in most grocery stores)
In a quart freezer bag, add the pepperoni and cover dehydrated meal with a 1:1 ratio of boiling water. (You can also do the 'just covering with water' method.) Stir well and put in a cozy. Let sit for 10 minutes.
When ready, stir well and top with the cheeses (shred the string cheese).
Note: Nic likes to usually add garlic and Italian seasoning to the sauce before dehydrating.
16 ounces rigatoni pasta
1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey), cooked with onion, mushrooms and green pepper as desired before dehydrating
Mix in:
1 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
Divide into 4 portions, on 4 trays of your dehydrator. Leave on till fully dry. Measure each portion and note on the bag how much it was. Bag into 4 quart freezer bags.
Also take:
1 string cheese per serving
Parmesan cheese (to taste)
pepperoni (you can find shelf stable pepperoni slices in most grocery stores)
In a quart freezer bag, add the pepperoni and cover dehydrated meal with a 1:1 ratio of boiling water. (You can also do the 'just covering with water' method.) Stir well and put in a cozy. Let sit for 10 minutes.
When ready, stir well and top with the cheeses (shred the string cheese).
Note: Nic likes to usually add garlic and Italian seasoning to the sauce before dehydrating.
While this is rehydrating, prepare cheese cake.
Garlic Toast: (done ahead of the trip)
Buy
a good loaf of bread (ie: Italian) Slice into 1/2 slices. Brush with
melted butter and sprinkle with garlic. Place in 250 degree oven and
slowly dry. Bread will be hard (sorta like a crouton) when done. Is
pretty durable to pack. Can't store for long periods of time (months)
because of the butter but will hold up well for most trips.
Cheesecake:
At
home: In a quart freezer bag, add correct amount of powdered milk plus
dry mix. (For every cup of fluid milk called for add 1/3 cup dry
instant milk + 1 cup water.)
In camp, add cold water to mix in bag. Close and squeeze mixture as till it starts to thicken. Set aside (it sill continue to thicken as it sits). When it is time to eat, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy! (If you got an instant cheesecake mix with a fruit topping, top with it.) If you would like to do individual servings, prepare the mix in the bag and then cut a corner off the bag. Squeeze into muffin liners and proceed as noted.
A very easy meal, and one that will impress! Serves up to 4.In camp, add cold water to mix in bag. Close and squeeze mixture as till it starts to thicken. Set aside (it sill continue to thicken as it sits). When it is time to eat, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy! (If you got an instant cheesecake mix with a fruit topping, top with it.) If you would like to do individual servings, prepare the mix in the bag and then cut a corner off the bag. Squeeze into muffin liners and proceed as noted.
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Everything Else For Dinner
All the recipes for Potatoes, Wraps, Stuffings, Bowls and more, click here. Included is a section on making your own spices for the trail.
Recipe Notes
Notes on cooking with pasta & dehydrating:
If you want to use dried pasta in recipes of your own making, the rehydration method is equal pasta to water. I would suggest 4 ounces of pasta per person if you are adding meat. Otherwise give 4-6 ounces or more of pasta per person if not. In camp add the boiling water to your freezer bag (to cover the pasta). Seal, put in cozy for a good 10-15 minutes. Be sure to shake the bag once or twice to make sure everything gets coated. After it has rehydrated, you can drain the past and add whatever sauce you want. Knorr® and similar brand pasta sauce packets are great, and can be done in a freezer bag after the pasta has cooked. Leave a little of the water in to get a good mix. See below for the Red Bell Pepper Pesto recipe for ideas.
Special consideration:
Low Sodium Bullion/Stock:
For any of the following recipes that call for bouillon, the following can help you, this recipe for me has made me so happy! It has allowed me to be free of commercial bouillon mixes. An excellent MSG free and low sodium seasoning blend.
*Vegetarian* Low Sodium “Chicken” Bouillon Mix:
*Vegetarian* Low Sodium Broth (Bouillon) mix:
Vegetarian, Vegan and Low Sodium options are noted by the recipes to help you out. Some recipes noted as Vegetarian may contain low sodium chicken bullion, but you can use the homemade low sodium chicken bullion recipe below for a vegan version. To make most vegetarian recipes vegan, just substitute soy milk powder for dairy milk powder and don't use any cheese called for.
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When
a recipe calls for "cooked dried pasta" it is referring to pasta you
cook at home, till al dente, drained, rinsed and dried at 135* in a
dehydrator (depending on type, 2-6 hours, till good and dry-you are
looking for hard and almost brittle. No flexibility at all.).
If you want to use dried pasta in recipes of your own making, the rehydration method is equal pasta to water. I would suggest 4 ounces of pasta per person if you are adding meat. Otherwise give 4-6 ounces or more of pasta per person if not. In camp add the boiling water to your freezer bag (to cover the pasta). Seal, put in cozy for a good 10-15 minutes. Be sure to shake the bag once or twice to make sure everything gets coated. After it has rehydrated, you can drain the past and add whatever sauce you want. Knorr® and similar brand pasta sauce packets are great, and can be done in a freezer bag after the pasta has cooked. Leave a little of the water in to get a good mix. See below for the Red Bell Pepper Pesto recipe for ideas.
Special consideration:
Some
pastas, when dried can have very sharp ends. Spaghetti is a prime one
for this. For your safety, we do recommend that you double bag dried
pasta. Bag poking can happen if you store pasta in bags for extended
periods. If you are sealing pasta in Food Vac bags, lining the bag with
a paper towel will protect the pasta from poking through the bag, and
blowing the air vac.
Low Sodium Bullion/Stock:
For any of the following recipes that call for bouillon, the following can help you, this recipe for me has made me so happy! It has allowed me to be free of commercial bouillon mixes. An excellent MSG free and low sodium seasoning blend.
*Vegetarian* Low Sodium “Chicken” Bouillon Mix:
2 tsp dried vegetables
1/8 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Mix all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder till powdered. Makes 3 servings of 1 Tbsp each. Store in a tightly sealed bag.
This is my favorite bouillon. It has the smell of chicken soup.
Salt can be added if desired. If a recipe calls for 1 tsp, cube or packet of bouillon, use 1 Tbsp of the homemade version.
1/8 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Mix all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder till powdered. Makes 3 servings of 1 Tbsp each. Store in a tightly sealed bag.
This is my favorite bouillon. It has the smell of chicken soup.
Salt can be added if desired. If a recipe calls for 1 tsp, cube or packet of bouillon, use 1 Tbsp of the homemade version.
*Vegetarian* Low Sodium Broth (Bouillon) mix:
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp celery seeds
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until well blended. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Add 1 Tbsp mix to a cup of hot water for a cup of soup or broth. Use in any recipe calling for commercial bouillon cubes or granules. Use 1 Tbsp for 1 tsp commercial.
This makes 1-2/3 cups of mix. Add salt to taste.
3 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp celery seeds
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until well blended. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Add 1 Tbsp mix to a cup of hot water for a cup of soup or broth. Use in any recipe calling for commercial bouillon cubes or granules. Use 1 Tbsp for 1 tsp commercial.
This makes 1-2/3 cups of mix. Add salt to taste.
Vegetarian, Vegan and Low Sodium options are noted by the recipes to help you out. Some recipes noted as Vegetarian may contain low sodium chicken bullion, but you can use the homemade low sodium chicken bullion recipe below for a vegan version. To make most vegetarian recipes vegan, just substitute soy milk powder for dairy milk powder and don't use any cheese called for.
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