View Full Version : Sauces, Sauces, Sauces....
88BlueGT
12-31-2008, 04:35
Well, unfortunately I'm in a bad habbit of eating mountain house meals for dinner whenever I go out. I usually have some type of bar or poptart for breakfast, tuna of something equivalent for lunch and than dinner is always bagged dehydrated foods. Thats all I have ever eaten while hiking but I'm planning a thru-hike for April so I need to start experimenting with different meals. I've been through my local grocery stores but cant seem to find any SIMPLE sauces to use with pasta. I just bought a 10lb bag of pasta at a bulk food store so I'm looking for suggestions!
Also, if there is a cookbook or simple recipe book someone can recommend that would be great. Looking for simple meals, I'm not a big cooker but I like to eat good tasting foods! (like everyone else I guess) Thanks.
Dan
Well, if you've paid for Mountain House foods in the past, I would suggest you try:
www.maryjanesfarm.com (http://www.maryjanesfarm.com)
Buy the sample meals packet to try. No need for sauces, spices, etc. Boil water, pour into your eating container, stir, let sit, stir again, eat.
Pretty simple, elegant ORGANIC eating, available in bulk, and as reasonably priced as Mountain House products.
Sarbar [WB member] has a highly recommended cookbook, you might want to check out.
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 04:49
Knorr has a good line of pasta sauces. i used to carry tomato paste a lot and and make a sauce using spices, fresh peppers, onion and canned chicken. easy to do
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 04:51
Knorr has a good line of pasta sauces. i used to carry tomato paste a lot and and make a sauce using spices, fresh peppers, onion and canned chicken. easy to do
http://www.thefind.com/food/browse-knorr-pasta-sauces
Pokey2006
12-31-2008, 04:54
Get your own dehydrator. Good ole fashioned spaghetti and tomato sauce dehydrates, and rehydrates, excellently. Add cooked hamburger or chopped zucchini for extra-special treat.
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
Pokey2005 is on the money.
Last year, I dehydrated home made pasta sauce (meat, Ragu Primavera and onion, garlic) I needed parchment paper under it. The sauce dries into a "leather" which I ground up in a food processor. I cooked the pasta (whole wheat)in short lengths and dehydrated that separately. Mixed in a freezer bag and rehydrated in camp.
Everyone in the area was jealous, it smelled so good!!!
Remember to bring some parmesan.
Grinder
P.S. The meat may have been "gravel" added after dehydration. It would work either way. but no chunks of meat if it gets ground up
I use dried soup mix that I Usually get at BigLots, I fix the noodles / pasta & add the soup mix when the pasta is nearly done, maybe with a little extra water. Usually, my pasta is Couscous, but I have also done this with rotini, egg noodles & spaghetti, AND rice.
I like pesto. It is the traditional way to preserve fresh basil. I make my own, garlic olive oil, basil, and parmesan. Traditially you also have pine nuts, but I sub walnuts or sunflower seeds. This keeps a while without refrigerating, and a tablespoon can flavor all sorts of things pretty well. I blenderize a few tablespoons of nuts, add garlic (as much as you can handle, blenderize, add enough garlic oil to make a slightly runny paste, then add and blenderize the basil. Parmesan is last, and can be kept seperate and added as needed. I suspect store bought stuff would keep similarly. I only have experience with keeping it for a week, but the italians keep it for months with a film of olive oil on top. David
The big shakers of Parmesan cheese sold in the pasta section (Kraft, etc) are quite shelf stable and carry well :) Almost any meal gets better with a hefty shaking :D
Lead Dog
12-31-2008, 17:19
I recommend Enertia meals for supper and breakfast. Especially supper time I'm wanting a hot meal and something hardy. These are great dehydrated vacuum packed meals at $4.50. Example: Switchback Spaghetti, my favorite El Capitan Black Beans with a hot sauce and many other pastas with various 'sauces' like tomato and cream based for good flavor. Breakfast meals have oatmeals with fruits too.
Farr Away
12-31-2008, 18:27
Throwing a boullion cube (or two) in the water you're cooking your pasta, rice, etc in is a good way to add some flavor (and sodium unless you choose a low-sodium brand). Not a sauce, but very easy when you're too tired to bother with much cooking.
My father, right-off-the-boat-Italian, made simple olive oil and garlic sauce. I carry olive oil with me on all my hikes. Just cook the pasta, toss with olive oil, fresh or powdered garlic, some cheese, maybe chunk in some pepperoni or other dried sausage. It's one of my faves.
My father, right-off-the-boat-Italian, made simple olive oil and garlic sauce. I carry olive oil with me on all my hikes. Just cook the pasta, toss with olive oil, fresh or powdered garlic, some cheese, maybe chunk in some pepperoni or other dried sausage. It's one of my faves.
mmmm pasta con olio e aglio
brooklynkayak
01-01-2009, 19:20
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
Hi Sabar
Mmm. Yes.
But block Parm keeps much better than the standard Kraft shredded Parm and packs smaller. For most trips, Kraft is fine and you can pick it up at any convenience store.
I always carry a block of Parm and shred as needed and if I remember right ,you are a big fan of shredding as needed as well.
Powder eggs, chopped beef jerky, packaged tuna, dehydrated spinach, and many other items can work as variations.
Yep! On trips where the miles are not hard I am known to carry my tiny GSI grater :D I love that thing....and a little chunk of the good stuff. Yum.....
Blue Wolf
01-01-2009, 20:54
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dinnerpastaetc.htm
Try this site they have some good stuff on there I dehydrated some squash & zuchinni and made one of these it was pretty tasty but the angel hair pasta didn't cook all the way so it was chewy.
I think next time I will add more water and bring it to a full boil.
fiddlehead
01-01-2009, 21:02
If you like Thai food, carry some red curry paste and powdered coconut milk. Experiment with those two, you can't go wrong.
If you like Indian food, carry the yellow curry powder and mix it into your food (i like the powdered coconut milk with that also)
Toolshed
01-01-2009, 21:51
88,
I am another Fan of simple sauces. Like others have said -
Olive Oil is the base for everything.
I then carry dehydrated onion, garlic powder, dried Basil, small pack of pine nuts, Parmesan or Romano cheese - All packed in small bottles Nalgene HDPE bottles - weighs very little and gives a bit of variation.
I also carry dehydrated peas, green beans, peppers & tomatoes, some peanut butter, Chipotle Tabasco and Cumin.
All of this weighs very little- Really gives you an opportunity for a different meal for 4-5 nights in a row.
Toolshed
01-01-2009, 21:53
If you like Thai food, carry some red curry paste and powdered coconut milk. Experiment with those two, you can't go wrong.
MMM... l like. Thanks for the idea.
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
Love Oil? :-?
Try googling that! ;)
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dinnerpastaetc.htm
Try this site they have some good stuff on there I dehydrated some squash & zuchinni and made one of these it was pretty tasty but the angel hair pasta didn't cook all the way so it was chewy.
I think next time I will add more water and bring it to a full boil.
That is Sarbar's site.
brooklynkayak
01-01-2009, 22:28
If you like Thai food, carry some red curry paste and powdered coconut milk. Experiment with those two, you can't go wrong.
If you like Indian food, carry the yellow curry powder and mix it into your food (i like the powdered coconut milk with that also)
Shredded coconut and plain old yellow curry powder works if your resources are limited. It's not as good, but better than nothing. Maybe add extra chili powder?
Wise Old Owl
01-01-2009, 22:41
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
I'm on the fence here as I think that is going down as one of the quotable quotes of the year - LOVE OIL?:eek:
Very interesting sauce. Too funny
Folks here are some good ideas, remember for one meal a small bottle of sauce is still in the ounces range.
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?categ=122,42, Indian cuisine sauces
http://www.specialflavors.com/collection/sauces_seasonings/sauces1.htm Unusual sauces
Wise Old Owl
01-01-2009, 22:54
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dinnerpastaetc.htm
Try this site they have some good stuff on there I dehydrated some squash & zuchinni and made one of these it was pretty tasty but the angel hair pasta didn't cook all the way so it was chewy.
I think next time I will add more water and bring it to a full boil.
Sabar might have a better Idea, but using Angel hair and a cozy, well I have avoided chewy. practice at home!
Lol...OK, you smart alecks, I meant olive oil :D
Lets call that a "Sarah-ism" :D But hey...you never know.....love oil might be tasty for dessert. Hehheh!
budforester
01-02-2009, 10:05
I have better luck cooking pasta separately. Break angel- hair to fit in my solo cup, cover with water, heat to boiling, cozy, drain, add sauce stuff. One quick and easy "sauce" is to toss in Italian salad dressing and parmesan.
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
Love oil? Yum Yum!!!
ARambler
01-02-2009, 11:12
I have better luck cooking pasta separately. Break angel- hair to fit in my solo cup, cover with water, heat to boiling, cozy, drain, add sauce stuff. One quick and easy "sauce" is to toss in Italian salad dressing and parmesan.
Do we stilll have the "drain" step on the AT? Do you mark the spot with your Clif bar wrapper?
Many of the suggestions above require mailed food drops. If you are committed to hiking the whole trail, are doing mail drops, and like freeze dried food, you should consider sticking with freeze dried food. You can get the cost down by ordering in bulk from a discounter like:
http://www.ldpcampingfoods.com/
Rambler
Wise Old Owl
01-02-2009, 16:34
Rambler there are clearly going to be two camps here, There are the folks like you who just want to eat and go and not caring much about the taste & flavor or the needed energy. The Food & Cooking area is set up for the other camp - anyone can find cheap freeze dried food-its called google. We are here to exchange ideas on drying and puting together our own ideas of foods for the trail.
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 16:39
We are here to exchange ideas on drying and puting together our own ideas of foods for the trail.
the thread starter asked nothing about drying food
Wise Old Owl
01-02-2009, 16:45
LW it didn't say anything about Freeze Dried either!
I answered the question on Sauces - it's the shortcut on post 24
He was looking for simple recipe books - Freezer Bag Cooking.
Last night I finally got around to trying the Barilla Tortellini that has been discussed here.
I didn't feel like pesto sauce so I tried tomato sauce again.
I cooked 1 cup tortellini in two cups of water on the the alcohol stove.
At a full boil, I added 2 tbsp dehydrated tomato powder, 2 tbsp diced tomatos, 2 tbsp of diced onion and 1 tbsp of spaghetti sauce mix and a good dollop of olive (love) oil and let the stove burn til the fuel was gone.
I let it rehydrate in a cosy for 15 minutes. at the end of that time, the tortellini was done but the sauce was runny/watery and I just hate that!!!
So, with nothing to lose and figuring I'd have to reheat, I added a tbsp of corn starch and stirred well. Much to my surprise, the sauce thickened up pretty well. It didn't get clear the way starch does when you simmer but was okay to taste and tongue feel.
the tortellini was great!!
I gotta add that the spaghetti seasoning packs are a poor excuse for seasoning. Mostly salt.
Next batch I'll add a tsp of italian spice mix and flavor it to my taste
Last night I finally got around to trying the Barilla Tortellini that has been discussed here.
I didn't feel like pesto sauce so I tried tomato sauce again.
I cooked 1 cup tortellini in two cups of water on the the alcohol stove.
At a full boil, I added 2 tbsp dehydrated tomato powder, 2 tbsp diced tomatos, 2 tbsp of diced onion and 1 tbsp of spaghetti sauce mix and a good dollop of olive (love) oil and let the stove burn til the fuel was gone.
I let it rehydrate in a cosy for 15 minutes. at the end of that time, the tortellini was done but the sauce was runny/watery and I just hate that!!!
So, with nothing to lose and figuring I'd have to reheat, I added a tbsp of corn starch and stirred well. Much to my surprise, the sauce thickened up pretty well. It didn't get clear the way starch does when you simmer but was okay to taste and tongue feel.
the tortellini was great!!
I gotta add that the spaghetti seasoning packs are a poor excuse for seasoning. Mostly salt.
Next batch I'll add a tsp of italian spice mix and flavor it to my taste
Just wondering, is this the way you would continue to make; by adding the corn starch after the cozy period? Or would you add the starch earlier, prior to the cozy period? Or half way through the cozy period?
Inquiring minds want to know; now I'm hungry!:D
I'd like to give it a try sometime, maybe add some beef jerky during the cozy period, to get it to "kick-up" the protein/carb combo I like in my meals.
Thanks for sharing.:sun
LaurieAnn
01-07-2010, 13:51
That's why I measure my sauce before dehydrating and I tear it into small pieces rather than pulverizing it. Then I add enough water to the sauce to bring it 7/8th of the way back to my original measurement. It still only takes 15 minutes. I also rehydrate pasta and sauce separately because sometimes the pasta doesn't take as much water and it would leave the sauce soupy.
Here is my son enjoying some fusilli with tomato, garlic basil sauce on a wilderness trip....
http://www.gjstudios.com/food/mmmmm.jpg
Jester2000
01-07-2010, 13:53
Knorr has a good line of pasta sauces. i used to carry tomato paste a lot and and make a sauce using spices, fresh peppers, onion and canned chicken. easy to do
Love Knorr sauces! Particularly creamy pesto. And a spice wheel will go a long way towards making things taste good.
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
This is pretty much how I eat tortellini, at home and on the trail.
But block Parm keeps much better than the standard Kraft shredded Parm and packs smaller. . .
I've never had cheese last long enough for it to matter.
If you like Thai food, carry some red curry paste and powdered coconut milk. . .
. . . and some people who really love Thai food move to Thailand.
I think that overall, even when you buy in bulk, stuff like Mountain House is too expensive to use for the entire trail, although it's nice every once in a while. You're on the right track -- lurk in the pasta, baking, soup and ethnic sections of your grocery store, and you'll put a number of good meals together. I love Stove Top stuffing with cheese and some kind of gravy over it.
Spices and bullion cubes (which will also give you the sodium you'll be sweating out) are a great way to enhance your meals, but others here are way more adept at that than I.
ShelterLeopard
01-07-2010, 14:19
I really shouldn't read these posts on an empty stomache [growl]... Another vote for Korr sauce and sides. I'm trying the tortellini tonight, just found it in my grocery store!
Blissful
01-07-2010, 14:41
Knorr sauces are great on those tortellini.
Wise Old Owl
01-07-2010, 14:48
nothing like Hollandaise on eggs too!
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:Wp9lsY3hMaCCbM:http://www.mccormick.com/~/media/Images/Products/Product%20Details/Seasoning%20Mixes/Gravies%20and%20Sauces/hollandaise%20sauce%20mix.ashx?w=225 (http://www.mccormick.com/~/media/Images/Products/Product%20Details/Seasoning%20Mixes/Gravies%20and%20Sauces/hollandaise%20sauce%20mix.ashx?w=225)
ShelterLeopard
01-07-2010, 14:53
To make eggs benedict, you just drop the eggs into boiling water, right?
Hikes in Rain
01-07-2010, 16:02
GENTLY boiling water, but yes. Eggs for eggs Benedict are poached. At least for the eggs. Then there's the English muffins (back to the toast thread!), ham, bacon or Canadian bacon, the Hollindaise sauce, the hash browns.....you're gonna need a few more pots!
Jester2000
01-07-2010, 16:04
I thought Eggs Benedict was made by having Faceman from the A-Team cook them for you.
Hikes in Rain
01-07-2010, 16:06
That would be ideal, of course! But I think we're talking about roughing it here, under less than ideal conditions. I could be wrong.....
That "Love Oil" is perfect for any meal :D Seems I wasn't typing clearly a year ago when I wrote that :D
LaurieAnn
01-07-2010, 16:56
GENTLY boiling water, but yes. Eggs for eggs Benedict are poached. At least for the eggs. Then there's the English muffins (back to the toast thread!), ham, bacon or Canadian bacon, the Hollindaise sauce, the hash browns.....you're gonna need a few more pots!
We make those on car camping trips... you can really change it up by using smoked salmon for the ham and putting a few spears of asparagus on top of the eggs before you add the Hollandaise.
Johnny Thunder
01-07-2010, 16:57
If you like Thai food, carry some red curry paste and powdered coconut milk. Experiment with those two, you can't go wrong.
If you like Indian food, carry the yellow curry powder and mix it into your food (i like the powdered coconut milk with that also)
Where's the easiest place to find powdered coconut milk? Is it prone to going rancid or has some of the fat been removed?
rjridgely
01-07-2010, 17:07
I use an assortment of Thai curry pastes.....red, green, yellow et al. They can really make any meal taste so good. Also Vietnamese soup bases are very good. All of the above keeps almost forever at room temps.
jrweisz
I'm going to add the cornstarch when I prepare the ingredients. I think the starch conversion will be even better that way.
The dried tomato powder and tomato dices are rather expensive. I believe it's cheaper and I know it's tastier to dry your homemade or purchased sauce.
Therefore, I'm even more leaning towards drying pasta sauce at home. So far, that has come out the best when rehydrated on the trail.
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The best field tested recipe to date is dehydrated Ragu primavera or garden vegetable sauce with gravel (dehydrated hamburger) and whole wheat spaghetti broken into short lengths, pre cooked and dried.
Where's the easiest place to find powdered coconut milk? Is it prone to going rancid or has some of the fat been removed?
Online is easiest if you don't have Asian grocery stores nearby! PackitGourmet.com and Importfood.com both sell it.
It is full fat, at about 7 grams per serving. But don't worry, it takes a lot for it to go rancid. Just keep it tightly sealed. And in most cases you can get the 1.76 to 2 ounce envelopes of it which are enough for 2 to 3 meals!
I add it in with the dry ingredients, you don't need to reconstitute it :)
The dried tomato powder and tomato dices are rather expensive. I believe it's cheaper and I know it's tastier to dry your homemade or purchased sauce.
Therefore, I'm even more leaning towards drying pasta sauce at home. So far, that has come out the best when rehydrated on the trail.
You can dry cans of tomato paste and then grind it into a powder.
But! Pricewise the tomato powder and tomato dices sold by www.HarmonyHouseFoods.com are very high quality and affordable.
Alfredo Sauce: equal parts heavy whipping cream, butter (real) and parmasean cheese with a little bit of pepper.
If you're used to buying alfredo sauce in a jar or from a mix, you are really missing out...they taste nothing like real homemade sauce.
LaurieAnn
01-08-2010, 10:42
Alfredo Sauce: equal parts heavy whipping cream, butter (real) and parmasean cheese with a little bit of pepper.
We, jokingly, refer to that as Italian Kraft Dinner at our house because it takes about as much time and effort as making KD does. :)
ShelterLeopard
01-08-2010, 11:39
We make those on car camping trips... you can really change it up by using smoked salmon for the ham and putting a few spears of asparagus on top of the eggs before you add the Hollandaise.
I had it this way last weekend (minus the asparagus- not an asparagus fan). My favorite way is the normal canadian bacon, english muffin, hollandaise, and egg! I might do this for an upcoming weekend hike... Or I'll just stick with the sausage- both are soo good!
Wise Old Owl
01-08-2010, 14:40
I had it this way last weekend (minus the asparagus- not an asparagus fan). My favorite way is the normal canadian bacon, english muffin, hollandaise, and egg! I might do this for an upcoming weekend hike... Or I'll just stick with the sausage- both are soo good!
You don't have to poach the eggs and they are fine fried sunny side up.
The trick to poaching them in water is to get the boil right at 210 and turn down to simmer pick up the pot and get the "fizzing" water and put a swirl or spin inside the pot, drop the eggs in the middle from just above the surface. (iron chef) and pull them at the desired 2nd minute...
I always add a little more lemon juice to the sauce.
greginmi
01-08-2010, 16:27
You can't go wrong with pasta tossed with love oil, Parmesan cheese and lots of herbs and spices - my comfort food :)
Hhmm..
Wondow how good "love oil" tastes on pasta.
greginmi
01-08-2010, 16:29
Hhmm..
Wondow how good "love oil" tastes on pasta.
Sheesh...
Eye-hand coordination not working well today.
WondER how good "love oil" tastes on pasta.
Sheesh...
Eye-hand coordination not working well today.
WondER how good "love oil" tastes on pasta.
It goes well with it :D:D
Wise Old Owl
01-08-2010, 20:09
Still one of your funniest posts ever...