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Fw: [at-l] pot cozy and FOOD!
- Subject: Fw: [at-l] pot cozy and FOOD!
- From: Jason Ball <jball65@shaw.ca> (Jason Ball)
- Date: Mon, 08 Apr 2002 20:54:49 -0500
A re-post from chainsaw from awhile ago. Had to keep it to make my cozy.
Jason
----- Original Message -----
From: "Delita Wright" <delita@mindspring.com>
To: "Dave Hicks" <daveh@psknet.com>
Cc: "atl" <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 12:33 AM
Subject: Re: [at-l] pot cozy and FOOD!
> WOW! I mean, WOW!!
>
> Not only did you give me everything I need to know about pot cozies (and I
> really did - I didn't understand how to use one! LOL) but also all these
GREAT
> recipes! Thanks! This is exactly the kind of food I need. I don't have
a
> dehydrator yet, but plan to go there. Also *love* lentils. My body loves
> lentils. My body would probably eat lentils every day if I would just
> cooperate. They are probably good for me, or something. :)
>
> I made up two dinners for my trip. In each one I basically put the
ingredients
> in snack-sized baggies, then put those for one meal in a quart-sized
ziplock.
>
> One is just a pack of Knorr veg soup, with some dehydrated mixed veggies I
had
> left from whenever, some dried mushrooms, some beef *style* TVP and 1 slab
of
> dried tofu. My thinking is I'll rehydrate all the parts while the soup
gets
> going, then throw together and *simmer* a la pot cozy. Me thinks it will
need
> a little beef broth granules - which I am currently out of. And salt and
> pepper, dried onions and fresh garlic.
>
> The other is instant brown rice with walnuts, dried mushrooms, another
slab of
> dried tofu and shredded cheddar. I went ahead and shredded some cheddar
and
> bagged it up. I'm thinking I can get away with this because it's cold out
> there.
>
> This is the first time I've tried the dried tofu. I am not a tofu fan -
but my
> body requires protein. I figure it being tasteless, I can just chunk it
into
> anything and not even notice. ;-) BTW, I'm no fan of TVP either but am
> branching out. I don't think either TVP or tofu give me the same *bang
for the
> buck* protein-wise that real meat does.
>
> My third dinner was going to be red lentils. And then I have some corn
pasta,
> and I found some lentil pasta (!), and I picked up some barley.... I am
either
> going to have to hike more or get used to working these up at home.
>
> My two basic constraints are I need the complex carbs and more protein.
And I
> avoid wheat, which nixes most hiker meals right there.
>
> I also want to get into this dehydrating. I'm taking some smoked salmon
with
> me this time. ;-)
>
> Thanks so much for the great post, Chainsaw! You made my day! (And it's
been
> a long one.) This one goes into my personal hall of fame! :)
>
> Delita
>
>
>
> Dave Hicks wrote:
>
> > Delita asked that soneone post a how to make a pot cozy.
> >
> > So, OLD-TIMER alert:
> >
> > - This is a slightly modified version of an often-repeated message.
> >
> > - Your delete key is available.
> >
> > Background:
> >
> > Like many who started hiking/camping in the 40's, I progresses from
campfire
> > cooking, through a variety of kerosene & white gas stoves, w/ a couple
of
> > canister stoves thrown in.
> >
> > Most stoves (the MSR Whisperlite International is a good example) burn
hot.
> > Great for melting snow, cooking thin soups, etc. but a bit of a drag
with
> > thicker soups, sauce, rice and beans, etc. dishes. Even stoves with
simmer
> > settings (like my x-tream) will often stick thicker stuff. Even if it
does
> > not scorch, it can be a hassle to clean up. Moreover, btw, I haven't
yet
> > mastered a simmer ring for a SCS.
> >
> > To avoid scorching and a mess to cleanup, I at one time used to bring
stuff
> > to a boil than "simmer" stuff in a water bottle wrapped in my sleeping
bag;
> > until I got a wet bag on a cold windy night. So, I now use a pot cozy
to
> > save fuel (read weight), to keep the concoctions from sticking/burning,
and
> > to save water. Works great for soup and rice/lentil dishes. However,
> > except in soup, pasta can come out sticky.
> >
> > To make a pot cozy --
> > Get some 1/2-inch thick closed cell foam. An over-the-hill pad works.
> > Create a strip a little wider than the height of your cook pot w/lid and
a
> > little longer than the circumference of your cook pot, or its lid, at
the
> > widest point of the two. Glue narrow ends of this strip together to
make a
> > cylinder that just fits around the pot w/lid. Cut a circular piece of
foam
> > to make a top and bottom. Glue the top to the cylinder to close one
end.
> > Leave the other end open. Cut a smaller circle of heavy foil -- the
bottom
> > of throwaway pie plate works great. Glue this to the bottom foam piece.
It
> > keeps the hot pot from sticking to the foam. My cozy weighs about an
ounce
> > and a half.
> >
> > To use the cozy --
> >
> > For most, "packaged" boil pour items and wait under 10 minutes, [like
Lipton
> > 's] just use the cozy to keep the temperature up. Put the bottom circle
of
> > foam on a level place, foil side up. Place pot (w/lid on) on the foil.
Put
> > the foam cylinder over the pot and lid. Let sit undisturbed for package
> > "cooking time." In real windy situations, secure with a light rock.
BTW
> > never put cozy on pot while it is on stove, fire, etc.!!
> >
> > For things that you would normally need to "simmer," boil and stir as
normal
> > for about 1/4 to 1/3 the normal cooking time. At the end of that time,
> > there should still be lots of liquid in the pot. Again, put the bottom
> > circle of foam on a level place, foil side up. Place pot (w/lid on) on
the
> > foil. Put the foam cylinder over the pot and lid. Let sit UNDISTURBED
for
> > a little longer than the normal (stove top) full cooking time for the
> > longest cooking item in the mix. Do not open it cozy for a
peek/check/etc.
> > Hot air raises and you will have serious heat loss every time you peek.
> >
> > In the pack:
> >
> > I pack my stove, pot grippers, and windscreen in the pot. They then go
in
> > my pot stand for the SCS, which was shaped to fit snugly around my pot.
> > They, in turn, go in the cozy w/ my spoon on top. The foam bottom (when
> > cooking) is now the top and is held in place with Velcro. So, the
entire
> > cooking rig, sans fuel bottle, takes up a cylinder of space about an
inch
> > and a quarter more diameter and height than the pot alone would.
> >
> > I bought an inexpensive dehydrator some time ago and dry my own
vegetable
> > and fruits, except those I find readily available -- i.e. onions,
mushrooms,
> > raisins, etc. I also use powders from King Arthur's Flour.
> >
> > In the past, I use a lot of lentils (or split pea) and rice-based
> > concoctions. Lentils and split peas have an advantage over most beans
as
> > they do not require soaking and they cook in a relatively short time.
> > Lentils come in white, yellow, red, and black as well as the traditional
> > grayish-green. So, you can give yourself some eye relief. Split peas
also
> > come in green and yellow.
> >
> > I pre-package my own mixes, for the most part. Lately, I have been
learning
> > from Chase, that if you cook larger dried beans (or just buy canned
beans)
> > and then dehydrate them you can avoid the in-the-field soaking. So, I
am
> > working on new concoctions.
> >
> > The following are typical of some of my tried and true concoctions (for
all
> > the following add salt to taste -- I use very little and use non-salt
stock
> > bases) (for rice I use a variety of white, or quick cooking brown, e.g.,
> > something that cooks on the stove in 30 minutes):
> >
> > Curried Chicken Tracks
> >
> > 1/3 C Rice
> > 1/4 C Lentils (red look nice)
> > 1/4 C Raisins (for this mix I use golden)
> > 1 Dried plum tomato cut in raisin size pieces
> > 1 T. Almond slices
> > 1 T. Chicken bouillon granules
> > 1 t. Curry powder (I use very hot)
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix to 2 C fresh spring water deep in the woods.
Boil.
> > Simmer until tender.
> >
> > Chili (sort of)
> >
> > 1/3 C Rice
> > 1/4 C Lentils
> > 3 Dried plum tomato cut in quarters
> > 1 T. Dried onion pieces
> > 1 T. Beef bouillon granules
> > 1 t. Chili powder (or more to taste)
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix to 2 C fresh spring water deep in the woods.
Boil.
> > Simmer until tender. (Note -- You can get tomato powder in some parts
of
> > the country and from some mail order houses. It makes a nice addition
to
> > this mix.)
> >
> > Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto
> >
> > 1/3 C Rice
> > 1/3 C Dried mushrooms
> > 1/3 C Dried onion pieces
> > 1/3 C Dried apples
> > 1 T Vegetable bouillon granules
> > 1/4 t Dried chives
> > and
> > 1 t graded Parmesan cheese in a separate plastic twist
> >
> > For best flavor, add all except cheese to 2 C fresh spring water deep in
the
> > woods. Boil. Simmer until tender. Add cheese.
> >
> > Imitation Black Beans and rice
> >
> > 1/3 C Brown Rice
> > 1/3 C Lentils (black)
> > 2 Dried plum tomato cut in quarters
> > 1 T. Dried green bell pepper
> > 1 T. Dried onion pieces
> > 1 T. Beef bouillon granules
> > 2 t. Dried carrots
> > 1 t. Orange crystals (Tang in a pinch)
> > 2 dash Paprika
> > 1 dash Ground coriander
> > 1 dash Crushed red pepper (to taste)
> > 1 dash Garlic granules
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix to 2 C fresh spring water deep in the woods.
Boil.
> > Simmer until tender.
> >
> > Lentils and Rice
> >
> > 1/3 C Rice
> > 1/4 C Lentils
> > 3 Dried plum tomato cut in quarters
> > 2 T. Shredded coconut
> > 1 T. Dried onion pieces
> > 1 T. Vegetable bouillon granules
> > 2 dash Garlic granules
> > 2 dash Dried mint
> > 1 dash Turmeric
> > 1 dash Ground coriander
> > 1 dash Crushed red pepper (to taste)
> > 1 dash Ground ginger
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix to 2 C fresh spring water deep in the woods.
Boil.
> > Simmer until tender.
> >
> > Cheese Stew
> >
> > 1/3 C Dried meat
> > 1/3 C Rice
> > 1/4 C Lentils
> > 3 Dried plum tomato cut in quarters
> > 1 T. Bacon bits or home dried cooked bacon
> > 1 T. Dried onion pieces
> > 1 T. Vegetable bouillon granules
> > 2 dash Garlic granules
> > 1 dash Crushed red pepper (to taste)
> >
> > and
> >
> > 1/3 C Cheddar cheese (reserved in a separate plastic twist)
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix (sans cheese) to 2 C fresh spring water deep in
the
> > woods. Boil. Simmer until tender. Add cheese. Stir until cheese is
soft.
> >
> > Spaghetti
> >
> > 1/3 C Dehydrated Spaghetti Sauce -- homemade or otherwise (dehydrate
as
> > you would fruit leathers and broken into small pieces, or rendered to a
> > powder form in a food processor, food/meat grinder/ mortar & pedestal)
> > 1/3 C Spaghetti (very thin or angle hair)
> >
> > and
> >
> > 1 t graded Parmesan cheese in a separate plastic twist
> >
> > For best flavor, add all except cheese to 2 C boiling fresh spring water
> > deep in the woods. Simmer until tender. Add cheese.
> >
> > Brunswick Stew
> >
> > 1/2 C Dried meat
> > (Chicken/squirrel/rabbit/pork/etc. or a mix)
> > 1/3 C Dried potato
> > 1/4 C Dried whole kernel white corn
> > 1/4 C Dried baby butter beans
> > 6 Dried plum tomato cut in quarters
> > 2 T. Dried onion pieces
> > 1 T. Vegetable bouillon granules
> > 1 pinch Flour
> > 1 dash Crushed red pepper (to taste)
> >
> > For best flavor, add mix to 3 C fresh spring water deep in the woods.
Boil.
> > Simmer until tender.
> >
> > Chainsaw
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Delita Wright <delita@mindspring.com>
> > To: atl <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2001 12:12 AM
> > Subject: [at-l] pot cozy
> >
> > > Can anyone tell me how or out of what to make a pot cozy?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Delita
> > >
> > > --
> > > Delita Wright
> > > Chapel Hill, NC
> > >
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awalkaday/
> > > http://www.topica.com/lists/astepaday
> > >
> > > >> pray for the peace of Jerusalem
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > AT-L mailing list
> > > AT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
> > > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT-L mailing list
> > AT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
>
> --
> Delita Wright
> Chapel Hill, NC
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awalkaday/
> http://www.topica.com/lists/astepaday
>
> >> pray for the peace of Jerusalem
>
>
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