Wendy's Black Bean Soup (3 Ingredients!)

I got this incredibly simple recipe from a friend about 10 years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since.  I'm not sure if "incredibly simple" is a better description or "ridiculously easy," so take your pick.

It's so easy, in fact, that I decided it would be the perfect thing to make after an 8-hour driving trip.  You know, the kind of trip when you know you'll be way too tired to make anything but you also will be tired of fast food?  Yeah, that.

We pulled in after this 8-hour road trip and literally had this on the table 20 minutes later.  It's one of those warm comfort foods that just hits the spot.  It's hearty and healthy, too.

WENDY'S BLACK BEAN SOUP

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2  14-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 c. salsa
• 2 c. chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Combine the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil.  If desired, mash the beans a little with a potato masher or an immersion blender.  Serve hot with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream* if desired.

*Did you know you can actually buy pantry-friendly shredded cheese and sour cream if you like?  (Right here.)  The chips, cheese, and sour cream are optional, though, so if you don't have them, don't worry.  This is a delicious soup anyway.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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Super Simple Chicken Cacciatore

This delicious simplified version of chicken cacciatore is made pantry-friendly by using canned chicken breast (or freeze-dried chicken breast, if you prefer)!  It's yummy, but it's also very convenient!

It's so convenient, in fact, that I took this recipe to the beach once when we stayed in a beach house that wasn't near a store.  (Just like a beach house should be, right?)  I packed in a bunch of cans--enough to double this recipe and feed a group--without worrying about refrigeration or expiration dates.  It was perfect.

If you've never had chicken cacciatore, it's a little like alternative spaghetti.  My family loves this recipe!

SUPER SIMPLE CHICKEN CACCIATORE

PREP TIME:  5-10 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 - 1  1/2 c. freeze dried chicken chunks or one 12.5-oz. can chunk chicken breast*
• one 26-oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• one 14.5-oz. can of petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• one 8-oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/3 - 1/2 c. sliced olives
• pasta or rice (I use rice--I cook about 2 cups of dry rice according to package directions for this recipe)

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients except pasta/rice in a large pot.  Heat over medium-high heat until heated through.  (Or, microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.)  Serve over prepared pasta or rice.

* If you've never used canned chicken breast before, you can find it near the tuna fish at your local grocery store.  I usually use canned chicken, but I've also used this freeze dried chicken which some of my family members like more.  I think both are good.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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Karen's Chocolate Cherry Bars

I should let you know right up front:  these are to die for.  I got this recipe from a friend about 10 years ago, and every single time I make it for guests, I have a request for the recipe.  The chocolate-cherry combination will always be one of my favorites, but the hint of almond flavoring just does me in.

I decided to give myself a challenge:
Q.  Can this decadent dessert be made using pantry-friendly substitutions and still qualify as "to die for"? 
A.  Absolutely!

For this challenge, I tried powdered egg (which I've tried in baking before and loved) for the cake bars, and powdered butter and milk for the topping.  You could try other substitutions, too, depending on what you have.  I'll let you know what I used, what the original recipe calls for, and some other pantry-friendly substitution possibilities, too.

KAREN'S CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS

PREP TIME:  15-20 minutes
COOK TIME:  20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box devils food cake mix*
• 21-oz. can cherry pie filling
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• equivalent of 2 beaten eggs, reconstituted with water** (original recipe:  2 beaten eggs)
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. evaporated milk or reconstituted powdered milk*** (original recipe:  1/3 c. milk)
• 5 Tbsp. powdered butter, reconstituted**** (original recipe:  5 Tbsp. butter)
• 11.5-oz. package chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pie filling, extract, and eggs.  Stir until well-blended.  Spread in a greased 10x15 jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  While the bars are baking, make the chocolate topping by combining sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil.  Boil one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth.  When done, remove the bars from the oven.  Pour the topping over.  Enjoy warm or cooled.

* If you don't have a box cake mix, you can use:  2 c. flour, 2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
** I've had a lot of success using dried eggs in baking.  I get mine here, but you can also get them here.  Just follow the directions on the can to reconstitute.
*** I used Nido powdered milk, mixed with water as directed on the can.  You can see Nido here, but I just buy it in the Mexican section of my local grocery store.
**** I was really happy with the powdered butter!  I just followed the directions for mixing with water (and a little oil, optional) on the package.  You could use butter flavor Crisco if you prefer.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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Tomato Bouillon Zucchini Soup

Never heard of tomato bouillon?  I hadn't either, until a friend of mine introduced me to it.  It's similar to chicken, beef, or vegetable bouillon, but it's tomato-based.  Pretty handy to have on hand as a pantry staple, too.

The tomato bouillon I'm familiar with is made by Knorr and found in the Mexican section of my local grocery store.  You can see it at this link just so you know what you're looking for.

Tomato bouillon is the main ingredient in this soup, but the zucchini, pasta shells, and optional sausage come together nicely for an easy, tasty, pantry-friendly soup.

TOMATO BOUILLON ZUCCHINI SOUP

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  14 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 10 c. water
• 10 tsp. tomato bouillon
• 1/2 c. small shell pasta
• 1 - 1 1/2 c. freeze dried zucchini (I've gotten mine here but you can also get it here)
• 1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 - 1/2 c. freeze dried sausage crumbles, optional (I get mine here)

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot over high heat, bring the water and the tomato bouillon to a boil.  Add the remainder of the ingredients to the boiling broth, then stir to combine.  Bring to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low (or medium-low) and cover the pot with a lid.  Simmer for 14 minutes.  Serve hot.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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Soft Two-and-a-Half-Hour Whole Wheat Bread

Oh, I wish you could taste this warm bread right now!  This is a soft bread made from mostly whole wheat flour but some regular white flour, too.  We ate it warm with jam and butter, but my son also had it with soup, which was just perfect.

SOFT TWO-AND-A-HALF-HOUR WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

PREP TIME:  less than 2 hours (off and on)
COOK TIME:  30-40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 2 1/2 c. warm water
• 3 Tbsp. instant potatoes
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• equivalent 1 egg*
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 - 2 1/2 c. white flour

DIRECTIONS

Place yeast in a large mixing bowl with water.  Add instant potatoes, oil, honey, salt, and (egg or) egg equivalent.  Mix for one minute, then add the whole wheat flour.  Using a dough hook with possible, mix the dough together until is it a sponge-like consistency.  Gradually add white flour as needed to make a soft dough.  Knead for several minutes with the dough hook or by hand if necessary.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.  Punch down and divide the dough in two.  Spray two 8x5 loaf pans with cooking spray.  Shape dough into two loaves and place one in each pan.  Cover and let rise again until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

* If you have an egg, go ahead and use it, but for the pantry-friendly version you can use the equivalent of one egg from a freeze-dried egg mix or substitute 3 Tbsp. of mayonnaise.  Another replacement for one egg is a packet of unflavored gelatin mixed with 1 Tbsp. cold water and 2 Tbsp. boiling water.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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Pantry-Friendly Ingredient Substitutions

It's always good to keep some pantry-friendly ingredients on hand, even if you don't use them normally.  In some cases, you might want to start using them regularly, while in other cases it's just good to have on hand in case you need it.

For example, I almost never buy chicken breasts to cook and then chop up for soups, enchiladas, and the like.  It's so much work, and the fresh chicken has an expiration date I have to be careful of.  Instead, I just use freeze-dried chopped chicken (from here) or sometimes cans of chicken breast (usually found in the tuna fish area of grocery stores).  On the other hand, I will always prefer using real butter over margarine or shortening, but I do keep some butter flavor shortening on hand since it's a great substitution for butter in an emergency.

Listed here for you are some possible pantry-friendly substitutions to use in your cooking and baking.  Some of these are things you might want to just replace altogether (like that chopped chicken I love), while others are things you just might want to keep a little on hand in case of emergency.

(I'll come back to this page and update it any time I find out something new!)

NOTE:  The difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated is the drying method.  Because of this, all "dried" food doesn't really taste the same.  Freeze-dried tends to lock in flavor a little better.  So if you don't like one brand, try another.

Here are some pantry-friendly ingredient substitutions for your consideration.  If you don't have:

• MEAT 1:  freeze dried (I love this stuff.  I use it a lot.  It's so much easier!  And I love that I can literally have it on hand all the time without a trip to the store.)
• MEAT 2:  canned (such as canned chicken breast, canned tuna, etc.)
• MEAT 3:  grains with seasonings added (Lentils are a good meat substitute in some recipes, especially when combined with the seasonings in the recipe, and quinoa cooks up nicely and mixes with taco seasoning for a great taco meat substitute.)
• MEAT 4:  a can or two of beans, rinsed and drained  (Depending on the recipe, you can try black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, or great northern beans in place of meat in your recipe.)
• BUTTER 1:  butter flavor shortening  (I personally like the kind that comes in sticks like butter does.)
• BUTTER 2:  powdered (made from real butter; mix with water and/or vegetable oil)
• EGGS 1:  freeze-dried (made from real eggs; needs to be reconstituted with water first)
• EGGS 2:  You can substitute 1 large egg in cooking or baking with 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise OR with 1 packet unflavored gelatin mixed with 1 Tbsp. cold water and 2 Tbsp. boiling water
• CHEESE:  freeze-dried (needs to be reconstituted with water first)
• BROWN SUGAR:  to make 1 c. brown sugar:  1 c. white sugar plus 1 Tbsp. molasses
• MILK 1:  Evaporated milk is a good substitute for fresh milk.  (Just be sure you are buying evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.  That's *really* not the same thing.)  Evaporated milk comes in fat free and whole.  Evaporated milk has had a lot of the watery elements of milk boiled away, so it's best to mix with water for your desired final product.  To make 1 c. of whole milk, you mix 1/2 c. regular evaporated milk with 1/2 c. water.  Fat free can be used measure for measure the same as skim milk.
• MILK 2:  powdered form (Most of what I find out there is nonfat milk, which my family and I can't stand drinking by itself but usually does fine in recipes that call for a little milk.  For actual drinking, I prefer Nido milk, which I just get at my local Walmart in the Mexican foods area.  I used to use a whey milk from a company that went out of business, which tasted as close to regular 1% milk as I've ever tasted.  I'm sad I didn't drink enough to keep them in business!  Try a few different powdered milks, and see what you like best.  And share in the comments if you find a great one.  Also:  even if you drink skim milk, some milk with a little fat it in is going to taste better in powdered form.  Peak is also very good--it's whole milk.  Countries outside the US are better at powdered/canned/boxed milk, so I tend to look in the "foreign" sections of the grocery store for milk.)
• MILK 3:  shelf-stable boxed milk  (You can find the Parmalat brand at most grocery stores, but I love Gossner Foods shelf-stable milk.  They do ship in bulk, but unfortunately their shipping prices essentially triple the price of the milk.  I did an internet search to see if I could find Gossner milk near me, and it turns out my local Dollar Tree carries it!  They sell a quart for $1, which is only a little more than it is the Gossner Foods website without the shipping!  At that price, it's about the same as fresh milk from the supermarket.  Score!)
• BUTTERMILK:  to make 1 cup buttermilk:  1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
• LIGHT CREAM:  to make 1 cup light cream:  1 Tbsp. melted butter plus enough milk to make 1 cup
• HONEY:  to make 1 cup honey:  1 1/4 c. sugar plus 1/4 c. liquid, or you can buy dehydrated honey crystals here that reconstitute with water!
• OIL (for baking recipes) 1:  Rinse and drain a can of beans (black, pinto, kidney, or navy).  Puree in a blender with 1/3 c. water.  Use measure-for-measure in baking.  
• OIL (for baking recipes) 2:  unsweetened applesauce or pureed pumpkin
• CREAM OF ANYTHING SOUP:  2 c. instant dry milk, 3/4 c. cornstarch, 1/4 c. chicken bouillon, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 1/4 tsp. pepper, For condensed soup, combine 1/3 c. of this mix with 1 c. water.

Do you know any great pantry-friendly substitutes?  Tell me about them in the comments below and I'll add them to this list.

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Enchilada Chicken Soup

I'm not a fan of spicy, but my boys love this soup.  It's very simple to make--you basically just heat it--and with one simple switch (fresh milk to powdered or canned), this becomes a pantry-friendly recipe in a snap.

ENCHILADA CHICKEN SOUP

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1  11-oz. can cheese soup, undiluted
• 1  11-oz. can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2 2/3 c. milk*
• 1  10-oz. can chunk white chicken, drained
• 1  10-oz. can enchilada sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, combine the soups and milk.  Stir in chicken and enchilada sauce.  Heat through.

* If you have fresh milk, use it, but you can substitute with reconstituted powdered milk or evaporated milk.  If using evaporated milk, use half evaporated milk and half water.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.