Marc

Restock the kitchen pantry with a variety of canned foods

By JEAN PRESCOTT

jtprescott@sunherald.com


Yes, we warned you off canned food last week - in favor of something fresh-tasting. But it's time to turn again to tins, only this time to ones you choose yourself at the market, cans from which come food that's not only easy to use but good for you.

It's time to begin to restock your home pantry.

You can, for example, get much-needed carotenes more easily from cans than directly from nature right now. Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes all protect our bodies' cells and help improve night vision, but you wouldn't want to try to prepare any of these things from their fresh state - try to cook them on a camp stove, say. Even folks with functioning appliances probably are looking for an easier way out, and canned carrots and their kin provide that.

Canned salmon is higher in calcium than the fresh or frozen version.

Tomatoes heated during the canning process carry more effective lycopene (some say it prevents prostate cancer and other such diseases) than do fresh versions, and diced canned tomatoes that have been drained well can even be used in sandwiches and sandwich fillings.

Canned fruits might contain more sugar than you'd like, but look for light versions and latch onto some complex carbs in a can.

Canned fruits and veggies, you see, are preserved by natural heat methods, not chemicals such as the ones in processed meats, so you can indulge without concern for serious sodium intake.

Here are a few hints to keep in mind when buying canned goods:

Examine canned foods before consuming. If the can is dented, misshapen or leaking, do not buy it. Bulging cans are an indication of spoilage and should not be used.

Dispose of potential spoiled canned goods in a manner to prevent consumption by other people or by animals.

Use a permanent marker on cans not date-stamped by the manufacturer; use older cans first. Canned foods can last one to two years when properly stored.

Try to find a glass or plastic covered container to store leftover canned food. Although it's not harmful to store food in an open can in the refrigerator for a day or so, it's a better idea to ditch the can as soon as possible.

Canned foods have been cooked once, so remember not to overcook them a second time.

The liquid also includes nutrients, so rather than draining and adding water, use the canning liquid. If flavor is your primary concern, you may want to use part can liquid and part fresh water.

Fruits packed in their own juices are a better choice than those with syrups.

If you have the means to obtain a cookbook - by mail order, from a library - you might check out "Best Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars." These are the recipes you meant to clip and save, the ones on that jar label, those cans, on the back of the box. They come from the test kitchens of America's food manufacturers - Kraft, Borden, Libby's and more - and every dish has become one of the nation's favorites.

Everybody loves such classics as Kellogg's Crunchy Baked Chicken, Campbell's Scalloped Potatoes, the original Chex Party Mix, Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treats, Vanilla "Philly" Frosting. There's even a recipe from the Tabasco hot pepper sauce people for Irish Stew; it was developed by James Beard.

We've included a couple of recipes you might want to try, depending on your state of recovery.

ALL-DAY MACARONI

& CHEESE

A slow-cooker recipe

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 (12 ounces) can evaporated milk

1½ cups milk (get it in septic packs if refrigeration is limited or reconstitute evaporated - half evaporated milk, half bottled water)

2 eggs

4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Place the cooked macaroni in a slow cooker that has been greased or coated with nonstick vegetable spray. Add the remaining ingredients except 1 cup of the cheese; mix well.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, then cover and cook on the Low setting for 5 to 6 hours, or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir until the macaroni has finished cooking. Serves 4.

- From "Mr. Food One-Pot, One Meal" by Art Ginsberg (William Morrow)

PORK, SWEET POTATO

AND BLACK BEAN STEW

1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

1 onion, chopped

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes OR 1 15-ounce can sweet potatoes NOT in syrup

¼ cup fresh orange juice

1 10-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

Beurre manié made by kneading together 1 teaspoon softened butter and 1 teaspoon flour

1 tablespoon minced fresh coriander leaves, optional

In a 2½-quart glass casserole combine pork, chili powder, honey, salt, onion, fresh sweet potatoes, orange juice and ¼ cup water; cover the surface of the pork mixture with wax paper, and microwave the pork mixture on HIGH (100 percent) for 8 minutes. Stir the pork mixture and microwave it, covered with wax paper, at MEDIUM (50 percent) for 15 minutes, or until the pork is just tender. Stir in the black beans and the beurre manié and microwave the stew, covered with waxed paper, at MEDIUM (50 percent) for 2 minutes. Stir in the minced coriander and salt and pepper to taste.

If using canned sweet potatoes, add with black beans and beurre manié. Serves 4.

__________________
GCB Myspace

Need Guitar Tabs?

Need Song Lyrics?

ambergirl

That irish stew receipe sounds like it might be worth looking up.

__________________
You've Got Questions. We've Got Ambergirl.
www.myspace.com/pajamasakapj