Preparing to make recipes

One of the most important aspects of freezer bag cooking is being prepared and having the dehydrated materials on hand.  It really is much cheaper to cook and live either at home or on the trail this way, but it's a way of life.  What do we need to do to be prepared?  Dehydrate foods or purchase foods that have already been dehydrated is a start.  

Today, we packaged for long-term use 75 pounds of staple food items - half way to being done.  The time took between 1/2 an hour and an hour, but really the time passed away quickly and without any fanfare.  Within the week, I'll be purchasing some powdered cheese and other items to help suppliment the storage of food items.  All of these items get stored in smaller amounts to be used regularly.  From these smaller packages, we will then prepare individual freezer bag packets ready to have hot water added and eaten. 

 Of course someone can do freezer bag cooking without all the work I'm doing, but when I can set up packets of food that I would eat on the trail as well as at home - I'm spending less money and getting more for my money - I'm eating good food and preparing it in all around easy to use method.  

A new idea: Eat Bark!

OK, so I don't want you to go out and start gnawing on your local hard and soft woods.  The birds might think your going coo-coo and the squirrels probably will think your nuts; instead, you need to learn about making bark!  On a website started in 2008, titled: backpackingchef.com, you can learn about how to make excellent backpacking foods that are light, tasty, healthy, and quick to make on the trail.  An innovative idea that makes freezer bag cooking go from good to gourmet.  Does any of this sound interesting?  Well, don't take my word for it, go and take a look at backpackingchef.com.  Besides, bark, there are some other really good ideas for dehydrating food and turning it into something gourmet.

After the preliminaries, what I've cooked so far.

In February 2009, my first meal was made consisting of a Ramen-like noodles and seasoning packet.  Between the end of February and the middle of March, I had purchased and used several noodle Ramen-like clusters that had been purchased with $1 for 10 clusters w/o the seasoning packets.  The noodles themselves take a little longer to rehydrate than the typical Ramen noodle and have a slightly more stale taste to them.  The benefit has been three-fold:  one, I don't spend a lot of money; 2. the stale taste motivates me to make them taste better; 3. I can have a relaxed attitude about failed experiments.  

With the noodles, I have made plain chicken seasoned noodles (twice),  spaghetti w/ real cheese, mushroom pasta using a left of bit of processed mushroom sauce that goes with another style of noodle, and maybe two more experiments (I don't remembering what I made). 

I've made instant oatmeal from a packet and a homemade oatmeal using instant oatmeal (with seasons and dehydrated blueberries). 

I have purchased and have plans to make items using gravy and an instant mashed potato mix.  Of course, there are many sorts of basic add water and boil recipes, but i will be avoiding using most of them because they take a long time to boil the food item and/or because I think I have a way to make a homemade version that will be healthy (I am not a health nut guru).  

First Blog About Freezer Bag Cooking

So, before I begin, I must give some recognition to those that have gone before me.  That is to say, I'm going to give a "shout out" to freezer bag chefs and entrepreneurs before me.  In particular, I would like to mention the wonderful videos on Youtube and to the queen of freezerbag.com.  From hence, has come my inspiration and my own mistakes as my edu-ma-cation.  

My own experience started with the making of alcohol stoves - soda pop cans and tea lights.  I have perfected neither as of yet.  There are of course other designs such as the the cat stove and so on; however, the elite stoves are still made by people like Tinny at Minibulldesigns.com, who happens to also share his knowledge, skill, and passion to others at no surcharge.  

After making several meals, I got it into my head to live off of cooked freezer bag meals for a month - at least my dinners.  I used my experiments of the stoves as a good time to test recipes.  Although, I have watched and read a lot about various recipes, I've still stuck with my own experiments for the sake of fun.  At times I am bound to post the work of others, but I will give them the recognition - if I used someone else's idea knowingly -- for heaven sakes I'm not writing a college thesis!  

This blog is my journal involving Freezer Bag cooking.  There will be zero X-rated material unless it involves the random comment, "Don't do this in your underwear.  Boiling water is very hot."