Tough Times Spam Chili

Tough Times Spam Chili



With tough times from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, many had to prepare food with modest resources. This recipe will deliver a substantial and relatively healthy meal with some canned goods and one cooking pot or dutch oven.

Ingredients

2 cans of Spam

1 large can of baked beans or two 12 oz cans

1 12 oz. can of diced tomatoes; Italian diced tomatoes are excellent and they reduce the need for additional spices.

1 can of condensed french onion soup

1 can of condensed mushroom or garlic mushroom soup

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1 small, 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. This 10 oz. can reduces the need for additional spices, particularly if you lack the chili powder and curry powder.

4 slices of bacon if you have it. Dried bacon bits will help instead.

Heat the cooking pot and add some cooking oil or bacon, if you have it, and add the diced Spam to the pot and brown the mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir as you bring to a slow boil. Stir and slow boil for at least 30 minutes. Rice stores well. If you have some, boil and add to the Spam chili when served. You should not need to add water. The condensed soup will give the dish an excellent chili texture. With the support of the rice you should be able to serve at least six and possibly eight people.

This dish should store well without refrigeration. If there is any question, reheat and bring to a slow boil for 20 minutes. Dried potato flakes store well and can be used in place of the rice. Just mix potato flakes with some of the bottled water. Old, dry bread could be used if you place the chili  on top of the bread. You will not notice if the bread is old and dry.



If Times Get Really Tough.

Spam, canned baked beans, and canned tomatoes are the basics. Make sure you have several cans of each (for emergencies) along with bottled water. If you do not have a source of heat for cooking, the Spam, beans and tomatoes can be eaten directly from the can. Mixing the three cold ingredients in a bowl would make a more tasty dish. The acidity of the tomatoes helps with the storage of the food once the cans are opened.