Tomato Basil Rice Italian from Food Storage Ingredients

This summer, I have had a craving for Italian Food.  I love the flavors of tomatoes, basil, sea salt and parmesan cheese together.  After a little experimentation, I came up with this quick, easy and delicious recipe.  It is quick and easy because of the freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients.  They are already cleaned, chopped and ready to rehydrate.  If you want it to be even quicker, pre-cook and refrigerate the rice.  You can even use leftover refrigerated white or brown rice (no pre-seasoning).  What a great tasting way to use up leftover rice.  

Give it a try.  If you like the taste of Italian cuisine, you will love it.

Tomato Basil Rice Italian from Food Storage Ingredients

2 C. Cooked White or Brown Rice

2 T. Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

½ C. Dehydrated or Freeze-dried Onion

5 Lg. Sprigs of Basil (Fresh), chopped

1 C. Freeze-dried Tomato Chunks

½ to ¾ C. Freeze-dried Green or Red Peppers or a mixture of both

½ C. Freeze-dried Chopped Chicken

1 tsp. Sea Salt, more if desired

1/8 to ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper, depending on how spicy you like it.

Parmesan Cheese for topping

Rehydrate onion, tomato, peppers and chicken in separate bowls by adding just enough water to each bowl to cover each ingredient.  Let set for 10 to 15 minutes.  Drain off water and press each a little to get rid of any excess water.  Set aside. 

Place olive oil into frying pan over medium heat.  Add rice and stir fry until rice is hot and coated with olive oil.  Add garlic and onion to the pan and stir fry until garlic is cooked.  It will only take a few minutes.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the rest of the ingredients except cheese and continue stir frying for a few minutes until all ingredients are warm and thoroughly incorporated.  Taste to adjust seasoning. 

Serve on individual plates.  Top with a little grated parmesan cheese.

All of the food storage items I used in this recipe are from Shelf Reliance Thrive.  They are high quality products that are convenient to use now, yet they have a long shelf live.  If you would like to purchase any of these ingredients to have on hand, please go to my Shelf Reliance website.  Just click the link below and click on the shop tab.  You will be able to purchase a wide variety of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, along with other food storage staples. 

susansakurai.shelfreliance.com

Prepare Now to Avoid Increasing Grocery Costs

Likely you have heard the news stories telling of crop failure due to high temperatures and drought conditions in the mid-west.  Corn is the main crop being affected.  This could mean higher prices at the grocery store for products containing corn; everything from cereal to soft drinks.  Not only that, but corn is a main source of livestock feed.  When the price of corn gets too high, cattle go to slaughter because farmers can’t afford to feed them.  That actually means that there will be ample meat available at good prices now and in the near future, but within six months time, meat and dairy products may not be available at normal quantities, thus making the price of meat rise as well.  If you would like more detailed information on this subject, please click the link below:

www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-07-11/corn-prices-drought/56156336/1

What can you do to prepare for these grocery cost increases?

• Add to your current food storage
• If you don’t have any food storage get some

Purchasing and storing food now can help offset the cost of items that you will have to purchase at a higher price later.

• Make a food storage budget

Few people have enough money to go out and purchase everything that they will need at one time.  Therefore, it is a good idea to set a food storage budget and add that much to your storage each month.

• Be faithful in adding to your food storage each month.

Little by little, it will add up and you will have the equivalent of a home store to use, as you need it.

• Be wise in what you store

Only store the things that you eat on a regular basis. 

• Rotate what you store so that it will not get old or spoil

It is not easy to stick with a food storage plan.  It is easy to get distracted and spend your food storage money on something that may seem more tempting.  I have found that the Shelf Reliance Thrive Q has helped me to build my food storage on a consistent basis.  The Shelf Reliance Thrive Q is a program that helps you to consistently build a food storage plan over a designated time.  First, you choose a monthly food storage budget and enter it into the program.  Then you are asked how many people are in your family and the time period you would like your food storage to last.  You then go through an outline of foods available and eliminate any that you do not wish to store.  After you have completed the initial questions your program is set up.  Each month, the Shelf Reliance Thrive program will offer you certain products from your chosen list that will meet but not go over your budget.  At that point you will be given the choice to accept those choices or request different items that you want at that point.  They will then be shipped to you.  This program is an easy and consistent way to build food storage.  Not only that, but the products are high quality and very desirable.  The freeze-dried products have a shelf life of 25 years in most cases. 

I have been on this program for 7 months now and during that time, I have really seen my food storage grow.  I love the food and the best part is that I have a feeling of peace that comes from being actively involved in controlling my food budget.

If you are interested in joining the Shelf Reliance Thrive Q, or in purchasing food storage items from Shelf Reliance, please click the link below to my Shelf Reliance website.

susansakurai.shelfreliance.com

Cooking Outdoors, The Best Part of Camping!

My sons and their families are going camping this weekend.  I am not a dyed-in-the-wool camper, but I must admit that I am jealous.  My favorite part of camping is cooking outdoors over the coals of a campfire or in a Dutch oven.  There is just something special about the taste of food cooked in the great outdoors. 

Camp meals can require a lot of pre-planning and preparation.  Shelf Reliance Thrive foods make cooking for your group of campers fast, easy and delicious.  Check the list below to see ways Thrive foods can make your camping experience more easy and enjoyable.

• Many are freeze-dried making them very light, compact and easy to carry
• Can easily be substituted into the recipes your family enjoys
• Refrigeration is not necessary, less food to keep in a cooler
• Easily rehydrated in a small amount of water
• Can be measured out at home according to your recipe, stored in a zip lock bag and cooked at the campsite. 
• Cut back on prep time because they are already chopped and ready to use
• Come in a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, beans, dairy products, eggs, and grain products.
• They are great as snacks, no rehydration necessary
• Thrive Express Meals are available for those who prefer pre-made meals.
• Thrive foods have vibrant, fresh tastes and delicious aromas

Imagine cooking a delicious Spanish omelet made from Thrive ingredients such as:

• scrambled egg mix (It is new and it tastes just like the real thing)
• freeze-dried sausage, freeze-dried cheddar cheese, freeze-dried tomato chunks, freeze-dried onions and freeze-dried peppers

It would taste great, be light and easy to pack.  The best part is that you wouldn’t have to struggle to keep the ingredients cold. 

Thrive foods can be used in millions of different recipes.  Sometimes it is a little difficult to imagine how to use freeze-dried ingredients if they are new to you.  If this is the case for you, please visit my Shelf Reliance website to see many recipes that can be adapted to your camping needs.  You can also purchase directly through this site.  Just click the link below and follow the directions below:

 susansakurai.shelfreliance.com

1.   At the bottom of the page you will see three boxes.  The first one says, “Shop for Products”.  Click the words “Shop Now”

2.   Hover over the tab that says “Tools, Making It Easy For You

3.   A blue drop down menu will appear.  Click “THRIVE Recipes”

4.   On this page you can find recipes from all categories from breakfasts to desserts.

Strawberry Ripple Cream Cheese Wontons

Want a fun dessert for a special occasion?  Try these Strawberry Ripple Cream Cheese Wontons.  They are easy to make and can dress up a simple bowl of ice cream for any occasion.  If you prefer, make breakfast special by serving these cute wontons with a chilled bowl of fruit. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ C. Freeze-dried Strawberries

½ C. Water

¼ C. Sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla

1 – 8 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese

½ C. Powdered Sugar

¼ tsp. Lemon Juice

1 pkg. Square Wonton Skins

1. Mix first 3 ingredients in a saucepan.  At first, it will seem that you need more water, but stir the mixture around for a few minutes and the strawberries will rehydrate.  Cook this mixture over medium heat until it cooks down to a very thick consistency.  Stir often and be careful not to burn the mixture as it gets thick.  Add the vanilla and cook for a minute longer.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Soften the cream cheese by placing it in a mixing bowl and letting it warm up while you are making and cooling the strawberry sauce.  When it has softened a bit, add the powdered sugar and lemon juice.  Beat by hand or mixer until it is smooth.

3. Fold the cooled strawberry sauce to the cream cheese mixture.  Do not mix thoroughly, but just make a ripple. 

4. Spoon about 1 tsp. of the strawberry cream cheese mixture onto a wonton skin.  Wet the edges of the wonton skin with a little water by dipping your finger into a dish of water and running it along all the edges of the wonton.  Fold the wonton over diagonally, making a triangular shaped pocket.  Seal the edges together by squeezing them together and then make a couple of crimps in the sealed edges to make them pretty. 

5. Deep-fry them until they are golden brown.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while warm.

Now, if you are wondering where you can get freeze-dried strawberries, I can help you with that.  I am an independent consultant for Shelf Reliance.  Our line of freeze-dried foods is known as Thrive Foods.  We have a large variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses.  They are of excellent quality, are simply delicious and are very versatile.  The fact that they are already cleaned and sliced speed up your cooking process.  They also have a shelf life of 25 years unopened.  To purchase any of our line of freeze-dried foods, just click the link below and then click the shop tab on my Shelf Reliance website.

susansakurai.shelfreliance.com