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HER Magazine

11/27/2017

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We had an amazing article in a local magazine - THREE pages!!! It details our mission and even has some recipes! HER Magazine - The Pantry
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Time Frame of prep

6/22/2017

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Here is what I started with today at 6:45 (with approximate cost)
2 pounds white beans  ($2)
2 pounds of black beans  ($2)
1 pound ground beef  ($3.50)
1 can refried beans ($1)
1 cup salsa ($.50)
1 roma tomato ($.30)
1/4 onion ($.10)
2 tortillas ( $.25)
 handful of tortilla chips ($.50)
handful of kale (from garden)
1 pack frozen chicken (cooked last week from leg quarters in crock pot ) ($1)
1 white chicken chili seasoning (Jane's Krazy salt, poultry seasoning, red pepper flakes) ($.10)
1 cup of honey ($1.25)
1/4 cup of brown sugar ($.20)
1 tsp cinnamon ($.05)
3/4 cup of coconut oil ($.50)
about 10 cups of old fashioned rolled oats ($2)
~~~~~Total cost= $15.25
​
And I'm going to bed with this:
A belly full of tacos for myself and my five year old plus leftovers
1/2 pound of cooked ground beef for spaghetti or tacos
4 portions of black beans to use in meals later
2 portions of white beans to use in meals later
3 quarts of white bean chicken chili
1 gallon bag of granola 
​
Enough for ELEVEN meals later plus granola snacks for a month!
Here is the time that took. Please notice that a great deal of this time was spent just hanging out, watching TV, doing dishes, catching fireflies, etc. with just 2-5 minute tasks interspersed. You don't have to be stuck in the kitchen an entire day to get some quick prep work done. By cooking beans to this point now, you can make bean dishes take about half as long or you can cook them even longer and get the cooking time when you are ready to make a meal from them even shorter.
7:00 Rinse beans and put on stove
7:05 Start frying ground beef
7:13 Pull half of the meat out of the pan to freeze
7:14 Add refried beans and salsa to remaining beef
7:17 Pull the taco mixture off the stove to serve
7:18 Turn off boiling beans and leave on the stove, covered
7:20 Dice onion, tomatoes, kale for tacos
7:28 Eat tacos/taco salad
7:40 Put half of the meat in freezer and left over taco mix in refrigerator
7:53 Start granola by putting honey, sugar, and oil in microwave (10 minutes at 40% power, stirring several times)
8:03 Mix boiling sugar with oats, cinnamon, and salt and put in oven
8:11 Find out in majestic fashion that there was a spill in bottom of oven
8:12 Open all the doors and windows and take the granola out
8:25 Rinse and portion beans - 4 sandwich size bags (3 cups each) of black and 2 of white
8:32 Put remaining white beans back on stove turned to high with 6 cups of water
8:40 Turn boiling beans down to medium low
9:00 Add chicken (from freezer) and white chili seasoning
10:10 Use potato masher to smash about half of the beans, taste test, and turn the stove off.
10:35 Portioned the WCC in mason jars and put in freezer
​
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Venison Roast

1/17/2017

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We are so lucky to be able to work with Share the Harvest each year! This year we received roasts and ground meat.

​Missouri's Share the Harvest program helps deer hunters donate surplus venison to the needy. This program is administered by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, more than 4,500 deer hunters donated more than a quarter-million pounds of venison from last season’s deer harvest. Since the program was started in 1992, Share the Harvest has provided more than 3.5 million pounds of venison.

Below is one simple recipe for using the roasts. If you need more inspiration, the internet is full of great recipes; here are some from the Department of Conservation: Recipes

2-3 T oil
1-2 t salt
1/2 - 1 t pepper
1/2 - 1 t rosemary
1/2 - 1 t granulated garlic
1 apple
1 onion

​Preheat oven to 450*.
Rub roast with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Cut apple and onion into cubes and put under roast.
Put 1 cup water into pan.
Bake 10 minutes at 450*.
Cover with foil.
Turn oven to 325*.
Bake 20 minutes per pound (ex: 3 pound roast for 1 hour).
(If you have a meat thermometer, your goal temperature is 145*)
Let rest 20 minutes before slicing and serving.


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Alternate Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Method:

Rub roast with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Cut apple and onion into cubes and put under and on roast.
Put 1 cup water into slow cooker.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours *or* high for 3 hours and then low for 1 hour

Other Considerations:
  • You can dress this up by adding carrots, celery, mushrooms, or potatoes while the roast cooks.
  • Try using beef bouillon or beef stock instead of just water.
  • After removing the roast from the oven or slow cooker you can strain the juices and use them to make a sauce - just add 2 T of cornstarch that you mixed with 4 T of water into the pan juices and bring to a low boil for about 2 minutes to thicken.
  • Other herbs and flavorings to consider using are juniper, fennel, coriander, curry, blackberries, cherries, and bacon.
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Some Random Recipes

1/6/2017

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Tuna Salad
1 can tuna, drained
2T mayonnaise
1t mustard
2t sweet or dill pickle relish
1 hard boiled egg, diced, optional

Mix together
Serve one of these ways:
-with fresh vegetables to dip (carrots, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers)
-on crackers or bread
-on a bed of lettuce tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper

Bean Dip
You can use cooked pinto beans that you have mashed or pureed to your favorite consistency or canned refried beans. Just add about half as much salsa as you have beans then mix together, microwave to heat and serve with chips or tortillas. You can make this as fancy as you want by adding any of the following things, but it's delicious just as is!

avocado 
guacamole
tomatoes
onions
cheese
​black olives
sour cream

Baked Potatoes
Wash baking potatoes
Prick with fork several times
Microwave for about 5 minutes per potato or 350* oven for 1 hour


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Chicken Alfredo Pasta or Rice or Potatoes!

1/6/2017

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This is a super quick meal if you do some prep ahead of time. I have talked a lot of times about cooking a whole chicken, dividing the cooked meat into meal size bags and then using the bones and skin to make stock and this is a perfect use for that! Also, I will sometimes buy a 12 oz jar of premade alfredo sauce, then divide it into three smaller containers and freeze them to use later, like for this. Of course, you could also make this totally from scratch if you haven't done prep ahead of time. At my house, this is one of our go to meals when we are really pressed for time. I even do it with rice in the pressure cooker sometimes which makes it go from freezer to table in less than 10 minutes.

These things I pull from the freezer and thaw in the microwave:
1 quart of chicken stock
1 bag cooked, diced or shredded chicken
4 oz alfredo sauce
8 oz frozen peas, optional (these don't need to be thawed, they will warm up very quickly when they get added to the pan)

Then add:
1 pound pasta or 2 cups rice or about 4 diced potatoes
Italian herbs, seasoned salt, garlic, or salt and pepper to taste

Use the chicken stock to cook the potatpes, rice, or pasta (adding more water to it if necessary). When it is almost cooked properly add the chicken, peas, and sauce to warm through. If you are using full fat chicken stock it will likely be creamy enough with just that small amount of sauce, but you can also add a spoon of sour cream or splash of milk if desired. Topping it with some parmesan cheese would be delicious also.

Another variation would also be to substitute beans for the chicken!

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Rice and Beans Idea

10/21/2016

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I love rice and beans! When I started on my healthy and inexpensive mission, I only made red beans and rice with Mexican seasonings. That was the only way I had eaten them and it didn't occur to me to change it... until I got bored with it... That is when the magic happened! You can season rice and beans with literally anything! They accept and enhance many, many flavors! Today it is rosemary and seasoning salt with avocado.
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I had some leftover rice that was made with rosemary and seasoning salt (Jane's Krazy Salt is my favorite.) I soaked a pound of red beans in cold water overnight. Then in the morning, I put them in the crock pot 3/4 full of fresh water on low. Ideally, they would be in there for 4-6 hours, but I didn't get home until 8 hours later and they were still perfect! I added a little more seasoning salt and rosemary and cubed some fresh avocado. That's it, super easy!! I think some tomato would also be a good addition, but I didn't have any on hand.
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Chicken and Dumplings

10/3/2016

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1-2 lb chicken
6 C water or chicken stock
1 ½ t Jane’s Krazy Salt
1T poultry seasoning
2 t chicken bouillon (omit if using chicken stock)
1-3 carrots, diced
1-3 stalks celery, diced
​
Dumplings:
2 C flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 T Italian seasoning
½ t salt
1/4 C olive oil
1 1/2 c milk (or water)


Cook chicken and remove bones and skin (if applicable), then dice or shred meat.
Combine all ingredients except Dumpling ingredients. Bring to a simmer.

Mix dumpling ingredients and milk (it will be sticky). Drop spoonfuls of dumplings into simmering soup. Simmer 8-10 minutes.
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Chicken Pot Pie

10/3/2016

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1-2 lb chicken
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
2 C water
1 pot pie seasoning packet
            1 ½ t Jane’s Krazy Salt
            1T poultry seasoning
            2 T cornstarch
            1 ½ t chicken bouillon

Crust-
1 bag of biscuit mix
            2 C flour
            1 T baking powder
            ½ t salt
            ½ C shortening
1c milk (or water)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook chicken and remove bones and skin (if applicable), then dice or shred meat.
Combine all ingredients except Crust ingredients.
Microwave on high or cook on stove until it reaches a boil (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Boil 3 minutes.
Pour into 9x13 pan.
Combine biscuit mix and milk (it will be sticky). Let sit 10 minutes and vigorously stir if it is too wet. Press out on floured surface into a roughly 9 inch square, cut into 12 pieces and place on top of chicken mixture (or spoon on top). Bake 20-25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.



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$100 and $200 Month Family Meal Plan Recipes

10/3/2016

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I talk often about the Thrifty Meal Plans and here they are. I'm working on getting all of the recipes in one place and this is that place.

Granola
Cookies
Lentil loaf
Spaghetti


Chicken and dumplings
Chicken pot pie (9x13 pan)
Chili
Tomato and bean pasta
Chicken alfredo pasta
Potato salsa chicken
Frittata
Diced potato with chk alfredo
Baked potato with chili
Tuna Salad
Bean dip

Scrambled eggs and pancakes
Vegetable bean pasta
Chicken and veg pasta 
White bean chili (with or without chicken)
Beans and Rice

White bean curry
​Hummus
Bread
Pumpkin muffins
meal_plan_suggestions.pdf
File Size: 323 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Carbon Copy Boredom

4/8/2016

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(Photo of Kolbi's copycat version of Deanna's recipe)
By Deanna Collins-Ellyson

When I began diving into learning more about The Pantry, I recall Kolbi making the statement of a possible problem that could arise with The Pantry meals; boredom. Hearing this actually brought some relief. I’m not entirely sure why; maybe the whole idea behind The Pantry just seemed too good to be true. All I knew was the her concern was legit. It was something I never thought of, and I appreciated her honesty. However- I tucked it into the back of my mind with no intention of directly attacking this issue.

That was until, of course, the good Lord knew it was time to remind me.

I made the red beans and rice meal after deciding I was going to dedicate to being part of the change however I could. Something had come up for the next two days, so I knew I had to do something with the red beans and rice so it didn’t go to waste; FREEZE IT! But how? A giant bowl of red beans and rice didn't seem like the right answer.

Then a simple solution came to me; that light bulb moment...or again, the good Lord! So off to the store for some tortillas and cilantro and I was ready to whip up some HEALTHY frozen burritos!

What I love most about these is that they were hand made and WAY healthier (and lets not forget CHEAPER) than any store bought. I had no idea what would become of this, but I knew I had something exciting to share with someone. So, I started snapping photos and making some mental notes. As I was whipping these bad boys up, I was thinking about the other benefits this simple meal provided, not just food for our bellies. Something I never thought a “pantry” would gift me with.
(1) The desire to please the Lord by offering a solution to one concern.
(2) I often don’t get the opportunity to eat a healthy meal or two; mommyhood right? But being able to turn a simple meal into an easy, quick, AND healthy option that JUST so happens to be a top favorite food of mine, actually eased some anxiety for me.  The entire feeling of relief was more than I can really put into words, and I don’t struggle as much as many others do when it comes to getting food on the table, so I could just imagine a sense of relief for someone not as well off as myself. I was eager, in that moment, to tell someone else!
(3) FAMILY! When the ideas were flowing, I was thinking about things my family would want to add to these burritos. That led me to thinking about the other meals The Pantry offers and how my family could have an input in revamping them for our family so we didn’t get bored. THIS provided some communication that wouldn’t have been had between us.  Bonding that wouldn’t have been had. Love. Growth. Opinions were mattering, confidence was building, imaginations were rolling (yeah if you have young ones, watch out for what they want to put in it haha).

These things you would never really be at the forefront of you mind when simply receiving food from any pantry.


​So, what else do you need?
 
I chose to keep it simple to make it easy to add to later (like salsa and cheese). I added a cup of lentils for an extra healthy boost of protein and cilantro. Both items still super cheap, even with the tortillas! This is the chance to have some family bonding time; ask your family if they want to help!
 
You don’t need anything fancy, but I’m not going to lie when I say I pretended to be on the #1 best cooking show on t.v! HA! Talking in my head about what I was doing... You know what I’m talking about- you know you do it! Here are a few added items suggested that I used, but don’t feel like you have to use these. 
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​ITEMS:
-The Pantry’s red beans and rice recipe cooked accordingly
- 1 cup of lentils (I cooked these with the beans and rice in the crock pot)
-Tortillas - I used large, burrito size (any size, brand, or flavor-OH THAT WOULD BE YUMMY!- is fine.)
- Place mat/cutting board to roll my tortillas on.
- Large ice cream scoop.
- A potato masher (this is optional for the simple fact that I wanted to stuff more into a burrito so I smashed most of it.)
- Fresh cilantro
- Kitchen shears (again, optional. I just used them to finely chop up my cilantro. Your fingers would work just fine.)
         
Excuse the mess... No, don’t! I’m not ashamed! This is what real life looks like- especially at dinner time. Am I right? So what you SHOULD be looking at is the place mat, the red bowl containing the chopped cilantro, clear bowl containing the already mashed meal, and then something to hold the finished burritos in so that you can “flash freeze” them before you’re ready for storage.
​    


​
Sprinkle however much cilantro you’d like. I pretty much just pinched and threw it on. This is about the amount I put in each one. Keep it centered like it’s shown though.
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​
 Then I used the ice-cream scoop and placed two “hills” (that’s what my three year old called them) in the center, one next to each other.

 

  Scoop #1........Scoop #2 side by side

​IT’S WRAPPING TIME!!!!
Now, even though I’m Puerto Rican and SHOULD know how to wrap burritos, I will in NO WAY claim to be perfect at it. But I have found a system that has been working for me. Again, it’s not about perfection, it’s about production.

After placing the second scoop onto the burrito, take the left and right side flaps and pull them to the center (pictured above). It doesn’t have to close/touch. The purpose of this step is so that food doesn’t fall out of the ends (which are the pockets you’re making doing this).

This is the tough part; to explain AND to “master.” So I’m going to try MY best if YOU promise to try YOUR best!
Now you’re going to take the bottom flap (the one closest to you, the south one), and fold it up. As you’re folding it, you will suddenly make a pocket like opportunity (pictured below) to stuff the south flap into something. It should fit pretty easily.
 

The south flap wraps around the hills, and into the pockets. Use your fingers to stuff it inside, hugging the food inside.

TAAAA-DAAAAA!!!! You did it!!!!
And you will notice the ends (or should) are closed to where food won’t fall out of it as easily.
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​Flash Freezing and Packaging

When you are done wrapping them, place them in/on something to flash freeze. I used spoons to separate these because it’s important that they don’t touch. You could use parchment paper- I just didn’t have any. Using parchment paper would make the process go much faster; I had to flash freeze mine in three shifts because of lack of room. Do what you have to. They only have to be in there about an hour. 
​


So how many did this make?

Depending on how much and what you put in your burritos obviously. But for me, and this recipe, this made around 30 BURRITOS!!!!

I usually eat two of the ones I buy at the store to fill up. I only need to eat ONE of these! PLUS they are so much healthier and I feel proud when I eat them.

Half of the burritos I individually wrapped to make “grab-n-go” easier. And the others I just threw in a big ziplock bag. 

​I individually packaged them in the snack size ziplock bags, another option is to just wrap them in plastic wrap.

 
Since I liked doing this much, and it was super easy, I decided I wanted to make breakfast ones, too!


          
To reheat, just microwave for two to three minutes, turning over about halfway. 
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​I ​wanted to be able to store these easily. I had a Dollar General bin that wasn’t being use, bent a piece of cardboard to separate it into two sides; one for breakfast burritos and the other for these burritos.

​If numbers are your thing, here is an average cost breakdown (plus some other optional ingredient costs):
3 cups of rice $0.80
1 pound of beans $1.00
Seasonings $0.10
Tortillas $8.00
Cilantro $1.00
TOTAL - $10.90 or $0.36 per burrito!
 
Even if you go crazy and add all of these things:
 
Onion $0.25
Tomatoes (2) $1.00
Avocado (3) $3.00
Lime $0.25
Salsa $1.00
Cheese (8 oz) $2.50
 
You will have still only spent $18.90 or $0.63 per burrito!

Please comment to let us know if you have changed up any Pantry recipes or if you try this one!
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Mission

Testimonials

The mission of The Pantry is to reduce food insecurity in and empower residents of Mid-Missouri. We will achieve this by providing our guests with ingredients for complete meals along with easy to follow recommendations to help achieve self-sufficiency. It is vital to our organization that all members of our community are welcome; therefore we have no income, identification, or geographic requirements. 
This place is amazing. No exclusions. Good fresh food that is so yummy! Friendly people who want nothing more than to help you. - Lindsey
I love The Pantry because this is food that I can eat. I have Crohn's disease, so I can't eat all the processed foods other places give out. - Rebecca
This is changing the way my family eats and everyone is happier! - anonymous

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