Hawaiian Haystacks

I originally got this recipe from my grandmother.  So I've loved this recipe for as long as I can remember.  A few years ago I made some changes to the original ingredients just for ease and convenience, so just a couple more changes make this delicious meal entirely pantry-friendly!

This is one of those recipes that always seemed to me a strange combination of ingredients, but you wouldn't believe how delicious it is.  Try it out!

HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. uncooked rice
• 4 chicken gravy mix packets
• 4 c. cold water
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried chicken or two 12-oz. cans of chicken breast chunks, drained (For a while now, I've used freeze-dried every time I make this because it's so easy!)  (original recipe:  2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped)
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried green onions (I love these things!  SO convenient!  I use them all the time in lots of recipes.)  (original recipe:  1/4 c. sliced green onions)
• 1 15-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed (original recipe:  2 chopped tomatoes)
• freeze-dried grated cheese (I love this stuff--it's good even straight out of the can before rehydrating!)
• 1 bag chow mein noodles (I prefer rice noodles; pictured)
• 1 can pineapple tidbits
• slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate the freeze-dried cheese according to package directions.  (Suggested on the package:  refrigerate for 2 hours before using.)  If using freeze-dried chicken, rehydrate it.  Otherwise, drain the cans of chicken.  Cook the rice according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk the gravy mixes with the water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then simmer on low 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Add green onions and chicken, then cover with a lid to keep warm.  To make the haystacks, pile rice, cheese, chicken gravy, tomatoes, pineapple, almonds, and chow mein (or rice) noodles.    

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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Applesauce Oat Muffins

I love the oats in these tasty muffins because they feel so hearty!  I especially love them warm.

I was so happy to find that the two substitutions I made to this recipe to make them pantry-friendly still left them delicious.

And I admit:  Anything sweetened with brown sugar is my favorite.

APPLESAUCE OAT MUFFINS

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  16-18 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1  1/2 c. quick oats
• 1  1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 c. fresh milk substitute such as powdered or shelf-stable or evaporated (original recipe:  1/2 c. milk)
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• powdered egg, reconstituted to make 1 egg (original recipe:  1 egg)

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (first 7 ingredients listed).  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (last 4 ingredients listed) until smooth.  Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir together just until combined.  Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray, then divide batter among them.  Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

These classic no-bake cookies are entirely pantry-friendly!  All the ingredients are things you can have on hand in your pantry.  Since they're mostly oats, this is a fairly hearty treat, too.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER NO-BAKE COOKIES

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
CHILL TIME:  2 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. butter-flavor Crisco  (original recipe:  margarine)
• 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1 c. peanuts (optional)
• 2  1/2 c. quick oats

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter-flavor Crisco.  Whisk in cocoa, then bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.  Whisk in the peanut butter.  Stir in the peanuts and oats.  Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper.  Chill 2 hours.

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Pantry Chicken Fricassee over Mashed Potatoes

If you're new to fricassee like I was, fricassee is basically meat in a cream sauce.  It's originally French, but there are Cajun and Mexican and all sorts of varieties of the same idea.

This particular fricassee recipe, however, is a very easy, pantry-friendly version, so it's not a traditional fricassee.  I can tell you, though, that it's both simple and tasty.  And that counts for a lot!

I love the herbs in this dish!  It actually gives it a bit of a green tint, but I'll tell you--seconds will be had by all.

PANTRY CHICKEN FRICASSEE OVER MASHED POTATOES

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. water
• 1/2 c. whole powdered milk 
• 1/2 c. dry creamer (coffee creamer)
• 1/2 c. corn starch
• 2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
• 1 Tbsp. dried butter powder (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. dried minced onion
• 2 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (rehydrated according to package directions) or 2  12-oz. cans chicken breast chunks, drained
• potato flakes, enough to make 8 servings of mashed potatoes

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over low heat, whisk together water, powdered milk, creamer, corn starch, and bouillon until well-mixed.  Turn heat up to medium-high.  Add butter powder, parsley, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and minced onion.  Whisk well.  Bring to a boil, stirring often.  When it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.  Add *chicken.  Prepare potato flakes according to package directions.  Serve the chicken fricassee over the mashed potatoes. 

*You can see in the photo that I used the canned chicken breast this time.  I actually didn't like the flavor of it in this recipe.  I'll use freeze-dried from now on.

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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Freeze-Dried Fruit Smoothies (two!)

Especially in the summer, I love a good smoothie for breakfast.  I would like to have this capability in an emergency, too, without access to all the fresh fruits and yogurt I'm used to.  So this sent me on a quest:

Can I make a healthy, tasty smoothie using only ingredients I can store in my pantry?

Smoothies often have a combination of frozen fruit and fresh fruit in addition to yogurt and some kind of liquid (like milk or juice).  Since my goal is to make this smoothie pantry-friendly--in other words, not dependent on a refrigerator or freezer--I've got a couple of creative ideas thrown into this smoothie.

I've tasted freeze-dried fruit (just plain) and the freeze-dried yogurt from Thrive Live before, and it's quite good without even being rehydrated.  So I knew that was going to be my best source for making a smoothie using just freeze-dried ingredients.  (By the way, I'm not affiliated with Thrive Life beyond just being a happy customer.  I do use their Refer-a-Friend links in some of my posts here, and if you always use that link to order, you can get 15% off your Monthly Delivery Service.  I personally love that service because there's no minimum and I can skip months if I want.)

I came up with two different fruit smoothies using freeze-dried fruit.  Canned fruit is also a great option for a pantry-friendly smoothie, and one of these smoothies uses both.  Give them a try, and don't be afraid to mix things up a bit for variety and lots of flavor.

Both of these smoothie recipes don't use any frozen fruit, so they may be thinner than you are accustomed to.  If you want to thicken either of these smoothies, you can add:

• protein powder
• a small amount of cooked and cooled cream of wheat cereal
• navy beans, mashed
• tapioca
• a small amount of cooked and cooled oatmeal

Each of these smoothie recipes make one smoothie, so multiply these ingredients as needed to serve more people.

The smoothie on the right is a berry smoothie with two kinds of dried fruit, and the one on the left is an apple-peach smoothie!  The berry smoothie has a great berry flavor, while the apple-peach one is a milk flavor.  Both recipes follow.

(TWO) FREEZE DRIED FRUIT SMOOTHIES

PREP TIME:  8-10 minutes
COOK TIME:  0

BERRY SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. milk (either shelf-stable or rehydrated from powdered; see options here)
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried strawberry yogurt pieces (or choose blueberry or vanilla, if you prefer)
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried strawberries (I like this brand; also available here and here)
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried raspberries (I like this brand; also available here and here)
• 1 tsp. chia seeds, optional
• if desired, add a thickener such as protein powder, a small amount of cooked and cooled cream of wheat cereal, some mashed navy beans, tapioca, or a small amount of cooked and cooled oatmeal

BERRY SMOOTHIE DIRECTIONS

Stir together all the ingredients in a smoothie-maker cup.  Let stand 5 minutes to allow the freeze-dried ingredients a little rehydration time.  Process with the smoothie-maker until smooth.

APPLE-PEACH SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. milk (either shelf-stable or rehydrated from powdered; see options here)
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried Greek yogurt pieces (or choose vanilla, if you prefer)
• 1/4 c. dried apple slices (I like this brand for freeze-dried, or you can get dehydrated apple slices here and here--or to buy in bulk, get them here)
• 6 slices of peaches from a can
• 1 tsp. chia seeds, optional
• if desired, add a thickener such as protein powder, a small amount of cooked and cooled cream of wheat cereal, some mashed navy beans, tapioca, or a small amount of cooked and cooled oatmeal

APPLE-PEACH SMOOTHIE DIRECTIONS

Stir together all the ingredients in a smoothie-maker cup.  Let stand 5 minutes to allow the freeze-dried ingredients a little rehydration time.  Process with the smoothie-maker until smooth.

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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Sweet Corn Tomalito (microwave!)

Also called tamalito, tomalito is a tasty side dish made mostly of corn.  Think of a tamale without any filling served like a casserole.  Something like a corn bread pudding.  I love it as a side for any Mexican dish, such as the Meatless Mexican Haystacks I posted a while back.

With just one switch, this recipe is pantry-friendly, meaning all the ingredients store in your pantry.  That means this is a side dish you can make any time.

SWEET CORN TOMALITO

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. masa harina (corn flour; no substitutions)
• 1 c. butter-flavor Crisco (original recipe:  1 c. butter, softened)
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2  15-oz. cans of whole kernel corn, undrained
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. powdered milk
• 2 tsp. water

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixer bowl, combine the masa harina, butter flavor Crisco, and sugar until light and fluffy.  In a food processor or blender, process the two cans of corn (undrained) and the cornbread mix (in two batches if needed) until smooth.  Add to the large mixer bowl and mix in.  Add the baking powder, salt, powdered milk, and water, then mix until well-combined.  Pour into a 2-liter casserole baking dish and cover with the lid.  Microwave at 30% power for 20 minutes.  Stir well.  Microwave an additional 7 minutes at full power.  Stir, then serve in small scoops.

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Mushroom Chicken Noodles

I came across this recipe recently and was pleased to see that it's all pantry-friendly!  I do like the challenge of seeing what types of regular recipes I can adapt to use only ingredients that store easily in the pantry, but yummy recipes that don't require any changes are pretty fantastic, too.  Plus, this one is so fast.

I don't care for mushrooms, but the mushrooms here just come from a cream of mushroom soup, so they're not very strong.  This recipe can be made with any kind of noodles, so use your favorite or go with what you have.

MUSHROOM CHICKEN NOODLES

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. noodles, cooked and drained
• 12-oz. can evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (rehydrated according to package directions) or 12.5-oz. can chunk chicken breast, drained

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, pour in about half the can of evaporated milk and whisk in flour.  When smooth, whisk in the rest of the milk.  Stir in parsley and onion.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.  When it boils, reduce heat to low.  Whisk in the mushroom soup until smooth.  Drain the can of chicken and stir it into the sauce.  Warm through.  Mix into the cooked noodles and serve hot.

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Protein Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips (GF)

You'll never guess the main ingredient in these treats.  Go ahead, guess.

These protein-filled treats are a little like a cookie, but the consistency is quite different--almost more like cookie dough than a baked cookie!

There's no refined sugar and no flour in these treats, and all the ingredients are pantry-friendly, of course!

Still guessing what the main ingredient could be?  Look at this picture, then keep guessing.

PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER TREATS WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), rinsed, drained, and dried for about an hour
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2/3 c. peanut butter, scant (meaning not all the way full)
• dash salt
• 1/4 c. honey (or agave)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the chocolate chips.  Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.  Add chocolate chips and pulse once or twice.  The mixture will be very thick and sticky.  Using a cookie scoop, place 1" balls of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Immediately after removing from the oven, flatten the balls with a fork.

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Jewel Fruit Salad

I came up with this recipe while looking for a new way to serve fruit.  My go-to pantry staples for fruit are just this:  open a can of peaches.  Or pears.

I'm using all the recipes I'm posting here to create a 21-Day Meal Plan with meals I can make only from pantry-friendly ingredients.  No refrigeration.  No nearby expiration dates.  Pretty great for emergencies or last-minute prep.  I decided a can of peaches is fine and a can of pears is fine, but it would be nice to expand a little.  (Watch for my 21-Day Meal Plan in coming months!)

This recipe was born from a combination of a couple of recipes and my own pantry-friendly twists.  It's fresh and different, and my family and I really like it.

No jewels were harmed in the making of this fruit salad, but the colors are so lovely that you'll see right away why I named it this:

JEWEL FRUIT SALAD

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
CHILL TIME:  1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 2  11-oz. cans mandarin oranges
• 20-oz. can pineapple tidbits
• 1 c. freeze-dried raspberries (or other berry; I like this brand, also available here and here)
• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• small box white chocolate pudding mix (3.4 oz. sugared, or 1 oz. if using sugar-free; can also try cheesecake or vanilla flavors)

DIRECTIONS

Drain one of the cans of oranges into a large serving bowl, reserving the juice in the bowl and setting the oranges aside.  Whip the pudding mix into the juice.  Mixture will be thick.  Drain the pineapple and the second can of oranges well, discarding the juice.  Stir all the fruit, including the cranberry sauce, into the pudding-juice mixture until combined.  Refrigerate about an hour before serving.

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Flaxseed Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins (from The American Moms)

I recently came across this original muffin recipe at a blog I love, The American Moms.  You can see the original recipe there at that link.  I wanted to try the recipe because I wanted to taste these muffins, of course, but as I went to make them, I wondered if I could make them pantry-friendly.

And I did!  With only a few changes to the original recipe, here is a pantry-friendly (and slightly more chocolatey) version.  The thing is, it's a fairly healthy recipe, what with flaxseed and wheat flour and not much sugar.  (The chocolate chips give it just the right sweetness.)  So I wasn't sure what my family would think.  But like Andrea's family (the original author), my family loves these muffins.

The recipe only makes 12, though, so if you have teenagers, keep an eye out.

Here's my pantry-friendly take on

FLAXSEED CHOCOLATE OATMEAL MUFFINS
(from The American Moms)

(And, yes, the red, white, and blue star muffin liners are a shout-out to them!)

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  18-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. ground flaxseed
• 1/2 c. oats
• 1/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 3 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• equivalent of 2 eggs from powdered eggs, reconstituted* (or try another egg substitution if needed)
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. powdered milk, reconstituted* (or 1/2 c. evaporated milk + 1/2 c. water)
• 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, flaxseed, oats, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  When mixed, add the eggs, oil, and milk.  Mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Line a muffin tin with 12 baking liners and divide the batter evenly among the cups.  Cups should be about 3/4 full.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

* I used powdered eggs from here for this recipe, so if you try it with the mayonnaise substitution, let me know!  I used Nido powdered milk for this recipe, which I buy in the Mexican food section at my Walmart, so if you try it with evaporated milk, let me know in the comments below!

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