MAIN DISHES

Beef and Beans makes 8 cups. Start early....beans take a long time.
1 pound washed pinto beans (2 ½ c) 7 c water, 1 pint bottled beef (undrained), 2 tsp salt, 2-3 Tb dried onion, ½ tsp thyme, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp basil, 1 tsp parsley, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 bay leaf.
Place water in covered pot and heat to as close to boiling as possible. Add beans. Cover and soak out of the oven for 1 hour. Do not drain. Add all other ingredients and simmer 4 -5 hours or until done.

Beef Soup makes 12 cups.
1 pint bottled beef (undrained) 8 c water, 4-8 tsp (according to taste) beef soup base, 1 c dehydrated diced potatoes, 1 c dried carrots, ½ c dried celery, 2 - 3 Tb dried onion, 1-2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 bay leaf, ½ - 1 tsp thyme.
Mix all ingredients in large covered pot and simmer for several hours.

Beef Stew makes 8 cups Creamy or Tomato style. 1 pint bottled beef, 1 recipe cream of mushroom soup (using beef soup base instead of chicken soup base) (Tomato style: 1 c tomato powder + 2 c water=2 c tomato sauce) 1 c dried carrots, 2 Tb dried onion, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp thyme, 1 c diced potatoes.
Use the beef juices and water to make the cream of mushroom soup. (Or make the tomato sauce). Place all ingredients in large covered dish and simmer several hours.


Chicken Alfredo makes 10 cups.
1 recipe Alfredo sauce, 1 pint bottled chicken (drained) 1 pound spaghetti noodles, 8 c water, 1 - 2 Tb parsley, ½ - 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.
Make the Alfredo sauce. Heat salted water and spaghetti in separate large covered pots (or canning jars w lids). Add warmed spaghetti to hot water, cook 15 - 20 min. and drain. Stir noodles, sauce, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and chicken together gently and return to oven for 20 min. or until hot.

Chicken Creole makes 10 cups.
1 ½ c rice + 3 c water + ½ tsp salt (5 c cooked rice) 1 pint bottled chicken (drained) ¼ c dried celery,
¼ c dried carrots, 1 bay leaf, 1 c tomato powder + 2 c water, 2 Tb dried onion, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp seasoning salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 3 Tb cornstarch, 1 c water, ¼ c dried parsley optional: ½ c dried mushrooms.
Split the 3 c water, ½ tsp salt and 1 ½ c rice between 2 canning jars, cover and cook about 40 min. Hydrate vegetables. In a large covered pot, put vegetables, tomato sauce, bay leaf, sugar, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire. Cook 30 - 45 min. Put the 1 c water or broth and cornstarch in another jar and shake until smooth. Add chicken and cornstarch mixture to vegetable mixture and cook uncovered until thickened. Serve over the rice.

Chicken Delight makes 9 cups.
1 ½ c rice, 2 Tb beef soup base, 3 Tb dried onion, ½ recipe cream mushroom soup, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper,
2 c water, 1 pint bottled chicken. Optional: ½ c dehydrated mushrooms.
(May use broth and water to equal the 2 cups liquid.) Mix all ingredients in a large covered pot. Cook in solar oven for 4 hours or until rice is cooked. Remove lid and cook another ½ hour or until browned.

Chicken Fricassee makes 6 cups of broth and 8 cups of potatoes.
4 tsp chicken soup base + 4 cups water, 4 tsp dry onion, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ c white flour and water as needed, 1 pint bottled chicken (undrained) 6 c instant potatoes + 4-6 c water.
Combine the 4 cups of water, soup base, undrained chicken, onion, salt and pepper in a large covered pot. Place the 5 ½ c of water in another covered pot (or jars) and heat both pots in solar oven until hot. Take out the broth and slowly add flour and water mixture. Return to the oven to thicken. Take out the pot of hot water and stir in instant potatoes. (Make sure they’re nice and thick) Place the potatoes on a plate, scoop the center to the sides, making a “bowl” and spoon the chicken and broth mixture into the “bowl”.


Chicken and Rice makes about 12 cups.
1 recipe cream of mushroom soup, 1 Tb lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, 2 c rice, 4 c water +1 tsp salt (Don’t add salt if broth is used) 2 Tb dried onion, 1 pint undrained bottled chicken, ¼ tsp pepper, 1/3 tsp paprika
Optional: 1/3 c dried celery and ½ c sliced toasted almonds.
Add broth and water to make 4 cups. Add the rice to the liquid and cook in solar oven about 40 minutes or until done. In a large covered dish, mix the cream of mushroom soup, lemon juice, onion, paprika, pepper, salt, chicken and cooked rice. (And optional celery and almonds) Cover and bake until done.

Chicken Soup makes 12-14 cups.
8 tsp chicken soup base + 8 c water, 4 tsp dried onion, 1 c dried carrots, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
1 pint bottled chicken (undrained) ½ c dried celery, ½ c dry rice. Mix all ingredients and simmer.

Chili makes 12 cups.
1 pound (or 2 ½ c) washed pinto beans , 7 c water, 1-2 tsp salt, ¼ c dried onion, ½ -1 tsp garlic powder, 3-4 Tb chili powder, 3 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 Tb sugar, 1 pint ground beef, 2 c tomato powder + 5 c water.
Place water in a large covered pot and heat to as close to boiling as possible. Add beans. Cover and soak beans out of the oven for 1 hour. (Use soaking water to cook beans) Cook beans in covered dish 4-5 hours. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until done.
Chili-Mac Makes 10 cups (add more water or broth if it’s too dry)
2 c macaroni, 2 Tb dried onion, ¼ tsp garlic powder, 2 Tb chili powder, 1 ½ c tomato powder + 3 c water (3 c tomato sauce) ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 pint bottled ground beef.
Add beef broth and water to equal 3 cups of liquid. Add water and tomato powder to make tomato sauce. Add liquid, tomato sauce, macaroni, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper and ground beef. Cook until macaroni is done.

Goulash makes 14 cups.
3 c macaroni, 6 c water, 2 c tomato powder + 6 c water (6 c tomato juice) 2 tsp dried onion, ¼ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 pint ground beef (undrained) 1 can of corn (undrained.)
Heat the 2 c water and salt in solar oven until very hot. Cook the macaroni in the water about 20 min or until done. Do not rinse. Add rest of the ingredients to the macaroni, return to oven and cook until done.

Macaroni and Cheese makes 10 cups.
4 c macaroni, 8 c water, 10 Tb mac + cheese powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/3 c dry milk + 1 ½ c water, 2 Tb butter, ½ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.
Heat the 8 c of salted water and the macaroni in separate containers. When the water is hot, add the macaroni and cook for 15 - 20 min or until done. Drain. Add butter, cheese powder, salt, pepper and milk.

Rice-a-Roni makes 8 cups.
2 c rice, 1/4 - 1/3 pound spaghetti (1 cup of 1" broken pieces) 1 Tb. dried onion, 2 tsp dry parsley, ½ tsp dry ginger, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 4 Tb shortening, 4 tsp chicken soup base + 4 c water, optional:
1 pint jar chicken, ½ c sliced toasted almonds and ½ c each dried carrots and celery.
In the solar oven, heat the shortening in a large pot. Dutch ovens are great but this can also be done in several canning jars with lids. Break the spaghetti into 1" pieces. When the shortening is hot, stir in the rice and broken spaghetti and cook until browned. (Jars can cook on their sides for this) Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook for 40 - 50 min. or until done.

Shepherd’s Pie makes 12 cups.
1 can corn (drained) 1 can green beans (drained) ½ recipe tomato soup, 2 Tb dried onion, 1 tsp salt,
¼ tsp pepper, 1 pint bottled ground beef (drained), 3 c instant potatoes + 3 c water (4 c potatoes)
Make the tomato soup. Heat 4 c water in jars or covered pot until very hot. Mix the ground beef, corn, green beans, tomato soup, onions, salt and pepper into a covered pot. Take the water out of the oven and wrap it in a dark cloth to keep it hot. Place the meat mixture in the oven and bake 45 min. or until hot. When it’s done, mix the instant potatoes and the hot water and spread on top of the meat mixture.

Spaghetti makes 10 cups.
1 pound spaghetti noodles, 1 recipe marinara sauce, 1 pint bottled ground beef or sausage (drained) 4 c water, 1 tsp salt.
Make marinara sauce and add drained meat . Heat salted water and spaghetti in separate covered pots (or use caning jars) add spaghetti to hot water and cook 15 - 20 min. Mix sauce and noodles.

Sweet and Sour Chicken makes 7 - 8 cups.
1 pint chicken, 1 1/3 c rice, 2 2/3 c water, 1 can pineapple, 2/3 c vinegar, 1 1/3 c sugar, 4 Tb cornstarch,
4 Tb soy sauce, 1 tsp Molasses, 1 Tb. dried onion. (opt. ½ c sliced almonds, ¼ c dehyd. celery.)
Heat the rice and water in separate jars. When hot, combine and cook until done. (Heat bottled chicken at the same time.) Put the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, soy and molasses into a qt jar. Shake well and cook in solar oven. Cook and shake this sauce repeatedly until thickened. On the bed of cooked rice place the heated chicken, almonds, pineapple, and hydrated celery. Pour sauce over the top.

Taco Soup makes 12 cups.
1 pint bottled ground beef or sausage, 1 can corn, 1 can kidney beans, 1 29 oz. can stewed tomatoes, 2 c water (OR 1 c water and 1 c tomato sauce) 2 - 3 Tb taco seasoning, 2 Tb onion, ¼ tsp garlic.
Place all ingredients in covered dish and let simmer.

Tamale Pie makes 10 cups.
1 pint bottled beef or ground beef (drained) 1 c tomato powder + 2 c water = 2 c tomato sauce
½ pound (1 ¼ c) washed pinto beans + 3 c water + 1 tsp salt (3 c cooked beans) 2 Tb dried onion, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp oregano, 2 Tb chili powder, ¼ tsp pepper.
Topping: 1 2/3 c cornmeal, 1 2/3 c white flour, 2/3 c sugar, 2 “eggs”, 5 tsp baking powder, ½ c dry milk + 1 c water, 1/3 c melted shortening, 1 tsp salt.
In large covered pot, heat 3 c water as close to boiling as possible. Add beans. Cover and soak out of oven 1 hour Add 1 tsp salt to beans and cook in oven 4 -5 hours or until done. Melt the 1/3 c shortening and set aside in the sun. Put the beef, tomato sauce, cooked beans, onion, garlic, oregano and chili powder in a covered baking dish and bake 20 - 30 min. While it’s cooking, make the topping by stirring together the flour, sugar baking powder and salt. Stir in the cornmeal until well blended. Add “eggs” and milk and stir to a smooth batter. Fold in the melted shortening just until blended. When meat mixture is done, remove from oven, spoon topping over meat and bake again about 30 - 40 min. or until cornbread is done.

Tomato Soup (Condensed) makes 2 cups.
1 c tomato powder + 2 c water = 2 c tomato sauce, 2 Tb dried onion, 3 Tb melted shortening, 6 Tb white flour, ¼ tsp pepper, milk if needed, ½ tsp seasoned salt, ½ tsp soda, 2 tsp sugar.
Melt 3 Tb shortening in a canning jar in the solar oven. Place the flour, milk, salt and pepper together in another jar, shake to mix well (no lumps!) and heat. Add heated flour mixture to the melted shortening and stir or shake well. Heat another 10 -15 min. Continue to shake and cook until thickened. Add the onion, soda and sugar to the tomato sauce and slowly blend the two sauces together. Add milk if needed to attain consistency of condensed tomato soup. Return to solar oven and gently heat. Do not boil. (For soup, add 3-4 cups of milk then stir and heat.)