Copy Cat Recipe Using Food Storage: Chili's Southwest Eggrolls

We really like to dip these in Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch.  At Chili's they are served with an avocado ranch dipping sauce, but I don't love it so we use spicy ranch instead.

1 cup freeze dried chicken
2 tablespoons freeze dried onion
2 tablespoons dehydrated mixed bell peppers
1/3 cup Freeze dried corn
1/4 cup instant black beans
2 tablespoons freeze dried spinach
Water
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Flour tortillas  (I used large tortillas because that is what I had but I think at the restaurant they use 5 inch tortillas)
oil, for frying

1.  Place the chicken, onion, pepper, corn, black beans, and spinach in a large microwavable bowl.   Cover generously with water.  Heat in microwave for 5 minutes.  Allow to sit in microwave for an additional 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Return to the bowl.
2.  Add the cayenne pepper, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cheese to the chicken mixture.  Mix well.
3.  Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on a tortilla.  Roll up so the tortilla looks like a cigar (not like a burrito.
4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot place 2-3 egg rolls in the hot oil. Be careful not to crowd the pan.  Fry egg rolls until golden brown.  Roll to the other side and fry until golden brown.  Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.  
5.  Serve the egg rolls with store bought avocado ranch salad dressings or with spicy ranch.

10 Minutes till Dinner: Minestrone Soup

One of the things that I love about THRIVE freeze dried foods is how easy it makes my life. The veggies, are all washed pealed and chopped for me. It really helps me get dinner on the table fast. Over the next few days I am going to post some of my favorite recipes that can be made in part a head of time I am calling this series 10 minutes till dinner.  These are dishes that on a busy night you can get on the table fast.

For this recipe I usually make place all of the ingredients in a glass canning jar or zip lock bag. I make up a few at a time and then attach cooking instructions. Then when I need a super quick meal. I make it up. Fast easy and nutritious. One thing that I have found to be very helpful is to use a canning funnel to fill the jars.  If you are a canner you probably already have one if not you can find them of the canning section of any store.  The funnel fits perfectly inside the jar so you don't spill anything.

Minestrone Soup:
1/4 cup all veggies - corn, celery, onions, green beans, peas, carrots and green peppers.
4 T. tomato powder
1/2 t. Italian spices
1 teaspoon parsley
1 can beef broth
1 T. beef bouillon
6 cups water
1/2 cup pasta

Place everything in a soup pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.

Minestrone Soup in a Jar
Place the following ingredients in a canning jar
1/4 cup of the following dry vegetables: corn, celery, onions, green beans, peas, carrots and green peppers.
4 T. tomato powder
1/2 t. Italian spices
1 teaspoon parsley
1 T. beef bouillon
1/2 cup pasta

Add label to jar:

To cook add contents of jar and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.

Labels and Instructions can be found here 

The labels I use are ones I found at http://itsacraftylife.blogspot.com/2010/12/ready-to-go.html
 They can be customized on your computer to say what ever you want.  I use them for everything.

Cornmeal Pancakes

I have been thinking about making cornmeal pancakes for a couple of months.  I have looked at a lot of recipes, but it was never quite right.  Recently I saw a recipe in the New York Times for Cornmeal Pancakes with Vanilla and Pine Nuts (I was going to link you to the original recipe but apparently it is behind the Pay Wall at the New York Times so sorry, it was the January 14, 2011 issue).  Wow that sounded great. I gave it a try, and tweeket is a bit.  What I ended up with is a nutty slightly crunch tasty easy to make pancke.  I have been enjoying these pancakes with blueberries, powdered sugar and lemon juice. My kids like them with honey, but I think they would be great with a savory topping, maybe poached eggs. 

 

When cooking this pancake there are a couple of things to note; First the pancake does not have bubbles that form and then solidify like normal pancakes, so it is a little bit tricky to tell when it is done.  It is done when it is not sticking to the pan anymore. If you try to flip it and it is sticking let it cook more.  Second, it is important to let the boiling water sit on the pancakes (it is absorbed almost immediately but let it sit anyway) this precooks the cornmeal a little bit and makes the pancakes a little bit like polenta.

Cornmeal Pancakes  

1 1/2 cups fine or medium cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup cup milk, (when I make this it usually ends up being 3/4 cup and the batter is still pretty thick)

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, plus more for frying

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey, for serving. 

1.Combine the cornmeal, salt and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a bowl and let it sit until the cornmeal absorbs the water and softens, 5 minutes. Heat skillet.

2. Stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the batter is spreadable but still thick. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, and the vanilla.

3.  When the skillet is hot (a few drops of water dance on its surface)  add a thin film of oil (maybe 2 teaspoons) and let it become hot. Spoon out the batter. Cook until bubbles form on the top and burst and the underside is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; turn and cook on the other side until golden. Serve Hot.

Sweet Cornbread

Did you know that the THRIVE brand of cornmeal is made with the whole grain?  Many brands of corn bread are not.  I love this because we are trying to eat more whole grains.

Sweet Cornbread: This recipe is  modified from the recipe in the “sample pack recipes” from shelf reliance.  I have simplified the directions so it is not so fussy.


Sweet Cornbread

Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Thrive powder milk
(non-instant ), not reconstituted
2/3 cup Thrive white sugar
½ teaspoon Thrive baking soda
1 cup Thrive cornmeal
1 cup Thrive white flour
½ cup Thrive butter powder
2 tablespoon Thrive egg powder
½ teaspoon Thrive salt
1 1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease an 8 x 8 inch square pan.

Wish dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add the water and vinegar. Mix well with a wooden spoon until few lumps remain.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean.

We like to eat this with honey butter.  Here is the recipe I use.
Spreadable Butter--for your bread
Honey Butter
1 cup butter powder
1 cup honey
½ water
1 c powder sugar
1 t vanilla
Using wire whisk or Kitchen Aid beat ingredients until creamy.