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Do you have any very convenient, fast recipes?

852 views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  aftermidnite 
#1 ·
We've been canning a lot of meat and potatoes and we can just heat everything up with some canned gravy and mash the potatoes and have roast beef & mashed potatoes faster than we can cook a pizza or ramen.

We milk the goats and make yogurt, and a breakfast of bananas with yogurt and wheat germ and coffee is very quick and easy and healthy.

I'd like to find more things like this - convenience meals that include a lot of farm/garden ingredients. Canning is a lot of work but when you consider how many servings you get from one canning session it works out to be much faster than making each meal individually. The canning can be done on a lazy day to make life easier on busy days.
 
G
#3 ·
I have been toying with canning the big vats of soups I make in the crock pot. Whip up a huge thing of soup and then can it instead of serve it. LOL!
I cannot say I HAVE done it, but it sure sounds convenient, doesn't it?
 
#4 ·
Oh - yum, Gracie! I will definitely have to try that.

Traci I have canned some soups and it is so nice to just open it up and eat it. The one I liked the best was a squash soup with beans and shredded chicken in it, seasoned with sage. It was such a comfort food. You definitely have to cook your beans first though if you can a soup with beans. And you can't can any soups that have milk in them but you can can them without the milk and add it later.

I bet potato soup would be easy to can if it was made with water and butter instead of milk.
 
#5 ·
-I put a little ham and about 3 inches of potatoes in the bottom of the jar when I can green beans. That makes a pretty quick meal.

-Leftovers of any kind!

-This one's a little more seasonal: Add some garlic powder and oregano to a quart of stewed tomatoes. Slice 1 or 2 summer squash into it, when that's tender, add leftover chicken or turkey. When everything is heated through, serve it over brown rice (also left over usually).

-Breakfast for dinner is usually pretty fast.

-Grilled cheese is a standby at my house, sliced tomatoes help to balance it.

-Keep boiled eggs on hand and it won't take anytime to make a chef's salad.

-When you make a big pot of soup, can about half of it as soon as all ingredients have been combined, before you simmer the finished product.

-After processing chickens all afternoon Sunday, we had PB&J and cold milk for supper. Not exactly balanced, but it was perfect for that day.

It seems that no matter how much we like to cook, there are always times that we just need to get a meal on the table in a hurry. I hope these ideas help. Also, you didn't ask about breakfast; but my all-time favorite speedy breakfast is a homemade granola bar, banana, glass or thermos of cold milk. This is an especially good breakfast if you need to eat enroute :)
 
#7 ·
Oh - yum, Gracie! I will definitely have to try that.

Traci I have canned some soups and it is so nice to just open it up and eat it. The one I liked the best was a squash soup with beans and shredded chicken in it, seasoned with sage. It was such a comfort food. You definitely have to cook your beans first though if you can a soup with beans. And you can't can any soups that have milk in them but you can can them without the milk and add it later.

I bet potato soup would be easy to can if it was made with water and butter instead of milk.
It is very yummy! And your squash beans, chicken and sage soup sounds delish as well. I will have to remember it!
 
#8 ·
-I put a little ham and about 3 inches of potatoes in the bottom of the jar when I can green beans. That makes a pretty quick meal.

-Leftovers of any kind!

-This one's a little more seasonal: Add some garlic powder and oregano to a quart of stewed tomatoes. Slice 1 or 2 summer squash into it, when that's tender, add leftover chicken or turkey. When everything is heated through, serve it over brown rice (also left over usually).

-Breakfast for dinner is usually pretty fast.

-Grilled cheese is a standby at my house, sliced tomatoes help to balance it.

-Keep boiled eggs on hand and it won't take anytime to make a chef's salad.

-When you make a big pot of soup, can about half of it as soon as all ingredients have been combined, before you simmer the finished product.

-After processing chickens all afternoon Sunday, we had PB&J and cold milk for supper. Not exactly balanced, but it was perfect for that day.

It seems that no matter how much we like to cook, there are always times that we just need to get a meal on the table in a hurry. I hope these ideas help. Also, you didn't ask about breakfast; but my all-time favorite speedy breakfast is a homemade granola bar, banana, glass or thermos of cold milk. This is an especially good breakfast if you need to eat enroute :)
Do you have the recipe for the granola bar? :) I love Nutrigrain bars as a quick snack, but would love something that isn't so processed. At least they are one of the few processed things I eat, right?! :p
 
#9 ·
Sure Gracie, let me look it up.

3 cups quick oats
2 cups flaked coconut (Amish store carries unsweetened, very tasty)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil, (canola, etc.)

Combine oats, coconut, almonds and walnuts in large roasting pan. Bake in 350 degree oven 18 mins or until toasted, stirring once. Cool well. Combine oat mixture, raisins, dates, apricots, flour and salt in bowl. Stir in eggs, honey and oil, mixing well. Press mixture into two greased 8" square pans (or one 10x15 works well). Bake at 350 degrees 20 mins or until set. Cut into desired size while still warm. Cool. Wrap in aluminum foil, then freeze in zip lock bag. They don't freeze real solid, so thaw quickly for a grab and go breakfast.

As long as you get 2 cups of any dried fruit and 1 1/2 cups of nuts, you're good to go. We especially like an apricot/blueberry combo with all almonds.

You will find these ever so much more filling than your typical granola bar because there isn't any airy dry cereal in them.
 
#12 ·
Sure Gracie, let me look it up.

3 cups quick oats
2 cups flaked coconut (Amish store carries unsweetened, very tasty)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil, (canola, etc.)

Combine oats, coconut, almonds and walnuts in large roasting pan. Bake in 350 degree oven 18 mins or until toasted, stirring once. Cool well. Combine oat mixture, raisins, dates, apricots, flour and salt in bowl. Stir in eggs, honey and oil, mixing well. Press mixture into two greased 8" square pans (or one 10x15 works well). Bake at 350 degrees 20 mins or until set. Cut into desired size while still warm. Cool. Wrap in aluminum foil, then freeze in zip lock bag. They don't freeze real solid, so thaw quickly for a grab and go breakfast.

As long as you get 2 cups of any dried fruit and 1 1/2 cups of nuts, you're good to go. We especially like an apricot/blueberry combo with all almonds.

You will find these ever so much more filling than your typical granola bar because there isn't any airy dry cereal in them.
Thanks!!!! Can't wait to try them!
 
#14 ·
Now, we are empty nesters, so you will have to adjust the quantities as needed if you have more than 2!

Home canned Chicken or Pork 'n Mac

One Pint home canned chicken or pork chunks drained
One Pint diced or chunked tomatoes
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup elbow macaroni
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
A little salt and pepper to taste
Italian seasonings - Italian Herb, or Pizza Seasoning, etc. to taste
Dump it all into a pan and cook til the macaroni is done

Beef or Chicken or Pork Enchiladas

One pint home canned beef, chicken or pork drained
One pint home canned potato (chunk it up) drained and rinsed if starchy
cheese
tortillas
enchilada sauce

Mix a little of the enchilada sauce into the potato and meat, heat
Make burritos using that mix. Place them into pan, pour more ench. sauce over, and cover with cheese. Can be done in the microwave or oven!

My Enchilada sauce

I take out all the spices and make up four or five packets of the spice mix at once. Then, when I need enchilada sauce (also makes a pretty good base for salsa if you add salsa ingredients), I have the spices ready to go. This is super fast if you already have the spice packet ready.

Spice Mix:

4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more for hotter)
2 teaspoon Dry Minced Onions
½ teaspoon Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Black pepper
Pinch of Cumin
(opt.) Tablespoon of sugar.

Other Ingredients:

One 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 cups water
1/4 cup vinegar

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add the tomato paste and vinegar. As this is heating up, add your spice packet. Cook till it boils, then take off heat, cover and let sit 5 min. This will fill a wide mouth quart jar. Store in fridge.
 
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