Christmas Giveaways - Day 3 (Plus a guest post!)

Today's the last day of our Christmas giveaway week - thanks to everyone who has been participating!  I've just loved reading all the comments about Christmas.


Today's giveaway is from Heather from Shelf Reliance.  She is giving away a can of freeze-dried chicken!  Heather also has a food storage blog that you can check out here.


Not really sure how to use freeze dried chicken?  Well, that's not really a problem because Heather has written an awesome article all about it, including some recipes!  I've posted the article below, so please take some time to look it over.  I'll admit, I've never considered adding freeze-dried meat to my food storage but it sure sounds intriguing now......


To enter this giveaway, please comment on this post and answer the following question:


If you could ask Santa for any item, what would it be?


This giveaway is open for 24 hours, so until tomorrow (Friday) at 3pm.  One comment per person, please!


Be sure to read Heather's guest post below:
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Hi—I’m Heather, I write the blog Cooking With My Food Storage, where I talk a lot about adding freeze dried foods to your food storage and how to cook with them. Abby and Hannah asked to tell you a little about Freeze Dried Chicken. 

Why Freeze Dried Chicken? 

Adding high quality protein to you food storage is sometimes a tricky thing.  Most of us have traditionally stored dried beans, canned chicken, and frozen beef or chicken.   But none of these are ideal for emergency preparedness. 

• Dried Beans are fussy and take a LOT of time and fuel to cook.  Beans are an inexpensive source of protein and if you love beans you might want to think about storing Instant Beans which take only 7-10 minutes to cook with no soaking. 

• Canned meats such as canned chicken or tuna have a short shelf life and must be rotated often

  

source:  jules:stonesoup

• Meats stored in the freezer can be ruined when the power goes out for an extended time.  

source: sporkist

Freeze Dried Meats to the Rescue

·        Freeze Dried meats rehydrate is about 7 minutes in hot simmering water or about 15 minutes in cold water.

·        Freeze Dried meats have a shelf life of 25 years.

·        Freeze Dried meats require no refrigeration until they are reconstituted.

·        But how is the taste and texture?   I know you ask because you have tried TVP that people said was wonderful and then was not.  But freeze dried chicken is chicken so it tastes and feels like chicken.

Problem solved.

How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Chicken

Place chicken in a small sauce pan cover generously with water.  Simmer uncovered for 7 minutes until chicken is soft.  Drain.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

The Cost of Freeze Dried Chicken

Freeze Dried meats are expensive.  Anyone who has purchased meat in the grocery store recently knows that all meat has become expensive (What is up with hamburger for $3.50 a pound?  Insane)   A number 10 can of freeze dried chicken is regularly about $38. But for a high quality protein source that has a shelf life of 25 years, that my family will be happy to eat, I’m in. 

Freeze Dried Meats seldom go on sale but during DECEMBER Shelf Reliance has  Freeze Dried Chicken and Roast Beef on sale. 

Chicken  for $34.99 for a number 10 can a savings of  $5.60 per can or $148.39 a case (6 cans)

 Roast Beef for $45.26 for a #10 can a savings of $8.00 per can or $181.29 a case.  Shelf Reliance is also offering Free Shipping to Platinum Q customers.

4 Easy and Delicious Ways 

to Use Freeze Dried Chicken

1.  Chicken Noodle Soup

At my house this is the go to dinner.  My kids love Chicken Noodle Soup and on a busy day it takes me about 7 minutes to get dinner ready.  Love it.  Feel free to add or subtract any veggies to make it how your family likes.  
  1 cup Freeze Dried Chicken
1/4 cup Freeze Dried Celery
1/4 cup Freeze Dried Onion
1/4 cup dehydrated Carrots
¼ cup Freeze Dried Peas
1 large handful egg noodles (or in this case Gnochi)
4 cups Chicken Broth (or 4 cups water a 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon)
  Add all to soup pot. Heat over medium heat for 7 minutes, until veggies are tender and noodles are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

  2.  Lime Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 cups FD Chicken rehydrate and drained
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup chunky salsa
  Place chicken in large sauce pan. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and   cook until hot. Stir in corn and salsa. This freezes great. If you are going to freeze place in containers, label and freeze.       
To serve:       
12 6-inch flour tortillas      
 Sour cream       
Shredded cheddar cheese       
Shredded lettuce       
Chopped tomatoes
  Serve warm on tortillas with sour cream, cheese, lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

  3.   Chicken and Spinach Taquitos

Based on a recipe by Amber Pearce

6 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese         

1  can diced green chilies

1 tbs. fresh lime juice     

½ tsp. cumin         

1 tsp. chili powder          

¼ tsp. garlic powder      

¼ c. Freeze Dried Onions         

½ c. Freeze Dried Spinach (You can use cooked fresh or frozen, make sure you squeeze out any extra moisture)

1 ¾ c. Freeze Dried Chicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Uncooked flour tortillas           

To reconstitute the dry foods place the onions, spinach chicken  in a medium sized bowl and cover generously with hot water. Let sit 7 minutes until soft, strain.

Meanwhile cream together cream cheese, green chilies, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder.   Stir cream cheese mixture and the strained chicken mixture together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Warm uncooked tortilla on an electric griddle  at 350 Degrees. When warm remove from the griddle and place 2-3 tbs. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about ½ inch from the edges. Roll up as tight as you can.  Repeat with all the tortillas.  Than place taquitos seam side down on the griddle very close together.  Cook until the bottom side is brown.  Roll all the taquitos over and brown the next side repeat until all the sides are brown.  Serve immediately.

4. Barbeque Chicken Pizza  ~ adapted from www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com

1 prepared pizza crust 
1/2 c Famous Dave’s Barbeque Sauce, divided 
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 
1 cup FD Chicken, rehydrated 
1 1/2-2 c mozzarella cheese 
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
Preheat oven to 400. If you have a pizza stone (they make the best pizzas), put it in the oven to preheat as well. Toss shredded chicken with 1/4 c barbeque sauce. Remove hot pizza stone from oven and sprinkle with corn meal. Roll or toss dough and place on stone. Spread remaining 1/4 c barbeque sauce over dough. Arrange onion slices over sauce. Spread chicken over onions then top with cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (That time is for a pizza stone - if you are using a cookie sheet, it may be a shorter time) Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and slice into 8 wedges.