Food Storage Friday: Link Party and Mushroom Barley Rissotto

Can I Store Brown Rice In My Food Storage?  

No, brown rice does not store well.  Because of the fat stored in the rice kernel brown rice goes rancid quickly.  But there is hope,  you can store other grains like barley, or quinoa.  These grains cook up a lot like brown rice and have a longer shelf life. Barley has a shelf live of 8 years-- a lot longer than brown rice, but not forever like wheat.

 I cook barley the same way I cook rice, but you can cook it on the stove or in the rice maker too. 

In this recipe I did NOT rehydrate the vegetables before I added them.  There is so much liquid in this dish that there is no need to rehydrate the onions or the mushrooms before you add them.  If you don't have fresh herbs, you can leave them out or substitute dry (remember to use 1/2 as much).

Mushroom Barley Risotto

• 6 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth


• 6 tablespoons butter


• ¼ cup freeze dried onions


• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced


• 2 cups pearl barley, rinsed, drained

• 1 cup freeze dried mushrooms, broken into smaller pieces


• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)


• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives


• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley


• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1.       Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add barley; stir until coated with butter, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup broth; simmer, stirring often, until broth is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, about 45 minutes.

2.       Add mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, herbs, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to risotto; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

I adapted this recipe from a recipe I love from epicurious.

Food Storage Friday Link Party

Carribean Spice Thai Noodle Soup

Thanks to Rachel Shaffer for sharing this recipe at the recent Shelf Reliance Convention.  I love this Thai soup, it is a great easy, and fast addition to our regular dinner menu.  I think that next time I make it I will leave out the Siracha (a red garlicky spicy chili paste)  and just add it to adult portions at the table. I think my kids will eat it better if it is not so spicy. If you have never used Siracha, it is found in most grocery stores (my grocer store carries it and I live in the country so your grocery store probably has it. Find it on the Asian isle by the soy sauce)

Caribbean Spice Thai Noodle Soup

8 cups Thrive Chicken Broth prepared

1 Tablespoon Siracha

4 Tablespoons THRIVE Dehydrated Carrots

1cup THRIVE Freeze Dried Mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups Thrive Chopped Chicken

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Cloves

1/4 tsp Coriander

1/4 tsp Allspice

1/4 tsp Cardamom

1/2 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon White Pepper

1Can Coconut milk

For Serving

1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped (optional)

2 limes cut into wedges

2 shallots, thickly sliced

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

2 cups bean sprouts

1 package, rice noodles

Fish sauce and Sriacha to taste

In a large pot, add the first 7 ingredients. heat on Medium High until meat and vegetables are tender and well hydrated. Add in spices (next 7 items) Simmer 10 min. Prepare the rice noodles. Add coconut milk to the soup, continue heating. Divide noodles into 6 to 8 large soup bowls.  top the noodles with bean sprouts, shallots, green onions, and cilantro. Ladle soup mix over bowls. Serve with lie wedges, fish sauce and siracha to taste.

Homemade Tortillas and Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

My sister taught me how to make tortillas when I first went away to school.  But I never loved how they turned out. It seems they were always a little bit crumbly and not quite as delicious as I wanted them to be.   I recently ran across a recipe that was a little bit diferent. It uses both white and whole wheat flour. It also uses both vegetable oil and butter.  We love it. It is easy to make, easy to store, and not crumbly.

Printable Recipe


Flour Tortillas
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetalbe oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened

1. In a large bowl mixing bowl, wisk together, the flours, salt and baking powder.
2. Add oil and butter.  Using your hands rub the fat into the flour, until it has the texture of cornmeal. 
3. Add 1 1/4 cup warm water. Mix well
4. Knead for 2 minutes.  The dough should be soft and pliable. It should not be sticky.
5. Cover dough with saran wrap or a wet towel (you don't want it to dry out) and let dough rest for about 10 minutes.
6. Form dough into 12 balls.  
7. Heat a dry (don't grease it) cast iron skillet over medium heat.
8. On a lightly floured surface flatten one dough ball and using a rolling pin roll into a think 8 inch circle.  
9. Place tortilla in the hot pan.  cook for 1 minute and flip over. It should have brown spots.  Cook for 1 minuet on the other side.  Remove from pan and cover with a clean towel.  Repeat for remainder of the dough balls.  

I was inspired by a recipe in the book DIY Delicious by Vanessa Barrington.  It is a great book. If you have not looked at it you should!

Mushroom Spinach Quesadilla

makes 2 Quesadillas
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup freeze dried spinach
1/2 cup freeze dried mushrooms
Feta Cheese
4 Homemade tortillas

1. Rehydrate spiach and mushrooms by placing them in a 2 cup measuring cup and covering with hot water for 3-5 minutes.  You will know it is rehydrated when you pinch a peice of spinach between your fingers and it is soft all the way through. Drain off the water. Squeeze the mushrooms and spinach in your had to remove excess water.
2. On a tortilla spread 1/2 the spinach and mushrooms. Sprinkle liberally with feta cheese. Top with second tortilla.

3. Microwave for 30 seconds until cheese is melted. Cut with pizza cutter in quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients.