Rockridge Press - The Preppers Cookbook

SECTION 4

Quick and Easy Prepper Recipes

We’ve discussed how to can foods in boiling water baths and in pressure canners. We’ve talked about dehydrators and dry canning and even touched on vacuum packing. But what about when you’re really in an emergency situation? Hopefully, you’ve stored your foodstuffs and heating methods so you can continue to prepare hot meals.

To make outdoor cooking infinitely easier, you really should consider investing in at least one medium-sized Dutch oven, a fire rack, and a set of iron skillets in different sizes. If you have the extra resources, a kettle with a tripod is great. Remember that food isn’t just about survival; it’s also about morale and keeping spirits up. You can still eat good meals even in stark circumstances… as long as you prepare.

Since cooking on an open fire is the most common way to cook without power, this is the method used for most of the following recipes. Most of them transfer very well to traditional cooking, too, so don’t feel like you have to wait. They’re delicious!

Bread is a staple survival food; it helps fill you up and provides valuable carbs for energy. All of these breads can be baked or fried, and you can also add herbs, seasonings, or chopped fruits or vegetables to them if you’d like.

This can be used for anything from desserts to potpies and is a quick, easy source of flavor, fat, and carbs. Use your canned butter (see the chapter on dry canning) and dry goods.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup butter, chilled if possible

• 4–5 tablespoons cold water

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, and then cut in the butter until it is spread throughout the flour in pea-sized chunks.

2. Add 4 tablespoons of the water and combine gently. If it’s too dry to hold a ball shape, add the other tablespoon of water until the pie dough forms without being sticky. If it gets too sticky, just add a sprinkle of flour.

3. Separate into two balls. When ready to use it, lightly flour a surface and roll 1 dough ball out with a glass, a bottle, or a rolling pin, if you have one, to desired thickness. Use immediately.

Yields 2 piecrusts.

It’s not fancy, but it will do.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons baking powder

• 2 tablespoons shortening or butter

• About ½ cup water or canned milk

• oil for skillet

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl, and cut in the shortening until it resembles pea-sized crumble.

2. Add the liquid a little at a time until the dough is kneadable but not sticky.

3. Lightly oil an iron skillet and heat over medium fire. Drop the dough into the skillet, and fry on each side until brown.

Yields about 4.

• 2 cups cornmeal

• 2 eggs or the equivalent in reconstituted powdered eggs

• ¾ cup water

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• oil for skillet

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, and heat a greased skillet over medium fire. Your batter should be thin but not runny—similar to pancake batter. If it’s too thin, add a bit more cornmeal. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.

2. Pour by the quarter cup into the skillet, and fry for about 2 minutes or until the cake starts to look dry on top and is brown on the bottom. Flip and fry for 1 minute or until bottom is brown. Remove from the fire and eat.

3. These will store for a few days without refrigeration if you seal them up to keep them from drying out.

Yields about 6 cakes.

If you use gelatin, this loaf of bread has all of the macronutrients that one adult needs in a day. It’s lacking in vitamins and minerals, however, so you can survive on it temporarily, but you won’t thrive long-term.

• 2 tablespoons water

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 package lemon gelatin (optional; also try orange and lime)

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2¼ cups fresh milk or reconstituted powdered milk

1. Put the water and honey in a saucepan, and add gelatin, if you’re using it. Heat over medium fire until dissolved. Remove from the heat, and add the oats, sugar, and milk to the liquid. If the mixture is too dry to shape, add more water a few drops at a time. If it’s too wet, add a little more oatmeal.

2. Shape into a flat loaf or a few individual bars, and bake in a skillet over medium fire for 15–20 minutes. Allow to cool, and store in foil or a resealable bag.

Yields 5 servings.

For the milk and eggs, you can use reconstituted powder or the real thing, depending upon what you have.

• 2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 2 eggs or the equivalent of reconstituted powdered eggs

• 2 cups fresh milk or reconstituted powdered milk

• 2/3 cup melted butter or oil

• 1 can creamed corn (optional)

• 2 tablespoons pickled or fresh jalapeño, sliced (optional)

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. The batter may be slightly lumpy.

3. Pour into the hot Dutch oven and cover. Bake for 20 minutes over medium fire or until brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Yields about 9 servings or 18 slices.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup water

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• Oil for skillet

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water and butter, and stir until combined.

2. Turn out on a floured surface and knead until a malleable dough forms. Divide into 2-inch balls.

3. Roll a ball out into a strip, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Fold it onto itself, and roll again until it’s a thin strip.

4. Place in a hot greased skillet, and fry for 30 seconds on each side, or until brown.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all the balls are fried.

Yields about 10 pieces.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon dried basil

• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

• 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter

• 2/3 cup water

• Oil for skillet

1. Mix the flour, salt, and herbs in a bowl. Add the oil or butter, and mix until there are pea-sized crumbles. Then add the water and stir.

2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Allow to rise for 45 minutes or so.

3. Divide into 2-inch balls and roll out flat.

4. Fry in a hot, greased skillet until browned on both sides.

Yields about 10 pieces.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ tablespoons baking powder

• 2 cups warm (not hot) water

• Oil for skillet

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the warm water ½ cup at a time until a dough is formed. Knead the mixture until it’s not sticky, adding a bit more flour if necessary.

2. Divide into 2-inch balls. Roll out each ball as thin as possible, and fry on a hot, greased griddle or iron skillet. Brown on both sides.