# Canning Chili and Pasta with Meat sauce



## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I am seriously looking into an All American canner for the purpose of canning pint jars of chili / ham and beans / pasta and meat sauce.

I want to ship this to my boy who is away at college (the food there is VOID of any nutritional value) AND I want to start canning 'meat' type foods.

Is this hard to do?
When I buy the canner, will it have an instruction book on how to do it?


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## Pam6 (Apr 9, 2009)

This All American Canner holds 10 pints at a time.

Can you can pasta?? 

For chili/soups I just can it at the pressure/time for the food item that takes the longest time...usually the meat. 
I don't think it is hard to pressure can meat items at all.


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

Many canners do come with a booklet, but the best one that I have found is the Ball Canning Book available on Amazon, Ebay, or from the Ball Company at this link:

Canning | Canning Jars | Preserving | Ball Jars

It is not hard to can pasta sauces with meat, here is one recipe:

Spaghetti Sauce With Meat For Canning) Recipe - Food.com - 98318

Be sure to wipe the rims of the jars very good before applying lids and only tighten the rings "hand tight" as over tightening the rings can lead to buckled lids. If you don't wipe the top of the jars good, any food/sauce may cause a lack of seal when the ring is applied allowing air to get inside and setting you up for food poisoning.

I usually check recipes to see if they have been tested (all of the Ball canning recipes are tested) to make sure that the ingredients listed and processing times are accurate.


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## Smalltowngirl (Mar 28, 2010)

It's not hard to can meats as long as you follow the instructions/times for the size jars you use.
Canning pasta & rice products are not wise, it turns into mush and to me, has a funny off taste.

Stick with the meats, meat combos but let him make his own rice/noodles/pasta. Its not that difficult to cook any of the starches in a microwave if he doesn't have access to a full kitchen range..
Even 'instant' brown rice is available now, again depending on what facilities he has available. It has more nutrition than the white rice & takes way less cooking time than having to cook it from scratch(which is preferable).


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

Yes pasta can be processed and canned but the problem is that it generally turns to mush as it gets overprocessed. I have yet to figure out how to can pasta as I worry about the head space if I don't cook the pasta prior to canning.

Avoiding the "mushiness" would mean undercooking or perhaps not cooking it at all? and let the processing do the cooking, but then again, I would still worry about how the final product would turn out. Obviously it is doable as Campbells has been canning chicken noodle soup for decades, I simply have no clue how to go about it and get the end product "right".


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Pam6 said:


> Can you can pasta??


Chef boy r d does...

though I think Laura was just referring to the sauce.

But I also think you knew that.

I would imagine that canning the pasta would require a very al dente noodle.

That is if you dont like mush.

Side passer beat me to the post well I was looking for a explanation on google.

seems home pasta canning is more or less non existent from the results.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

It's easy to pressure can, the only thing is you MUST following the instructions EXACTLY. No cutting corners because you're impatient, no doing things differently than the instructions tell you "because Mom did it THIS way". Follow the instructions, and there will be no problems.

You can't can pasta -- at least I have yet to find a way. You can process pasta SAUCE, and chili, and pork and beans. My advice is to get a good canning book (I like Putting Food By by Janet Greene) and go for it.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I got a result on this page, 

canning macaroni dishes.

quote----
"You CAN can pasta yourself. It is not difficult but, like the commercial caners you will need to make sure it is high acid (they add flavorless citric acid) but using a red tomato sauce works just as well.

The trouble is measurements must be exact and that depends on the size of container you are canning in. you nee 25% pasta, 33% water and the rest a high acid sauce. The water bath for 30 minutes. The dry pasta cooks while you are water bathing it."

"A man will never walk on the moon" For you folks saying you cant, if you can think it it can be done the only question is how.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I was wanting to can pint jars of meat sauce and pasta (small shells).

I was thinking if I just 'blanched" the pasta and added it to the meat sauce, that when I canned it.....the pasta would soak up some of the sauce, and when my boy opened the jar and heated it up, that would finish cooking the pasta to the right "al dente'".
I don't want to send him paste and meat sauce!!

BUT I don't want to poison him either!!

thank you everyone for the input, keep it coming!!


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

I have an idea. Put together some dehydrated meals in a bag that only require boiling water and simmering. Does he have a hot plate or something?

I'm all for canning meat, did some this weekend. I'm also for the All American canner quality.:nanner:

My point here is your meal with not have worry of the pasta being mush if you go dehydrated.

The weight of the meal is near nothing and will ship to him much cheaper than filled glass jars.

There won't be breakage danger for guys and all their horseplay if you go with vac seal bags, or bag with O2 absorber.

There are fantastic, easy to follow recipes on youtube. It will take a little investment as freeze dried beef crumbles and/or sausage crumbles are a little pricey. Otherwise, it's just spices, tomato powder, pasta, and so on. Yummy and easy.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

partndn said:


> I have an idea. Put together some dehydrated meals in a bag that only require boiling water and simmering. Does he have a hot plate or something?
> 
> I'm all for canning meat, did some this weekend. I'm also for the All American canner quality.:nanner:
> 
> ...


He is not allowed to have a hot plate, but a microwave is ok, and he has one.
I was trying to think of a 'quick and easy', open the jar, dump in bowl, heat and eat.....


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Caning is the easy part. The hard part will be shipping them to your son without them breaking!

I love my Presto caner....fits 20 pt jars.

As far as caning pasta. It said not to be safe....now what does that really mean? One of two things: 1) they, "the testing labs", tried it with home equipment and couldn't do in a way to make it 100% safe all the time or 2) they didn't have the $ to test it so it's "un-tested" and therefore ruled unsafe. I don't know which scenario is the case we are dealing with, so I choose not to can pasta. 

In your shoes....what I might do is cook up pasta ahead, then dehydrate it. Then, I'm guessing, it would be like ramon noodles and only need to sit in warm water to re-hydrate. Of course, I wouldn't do this and send it to my kid at college without trying it at home first. I can just imagine the call home if it doesn't work, lol.


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## Smalltowngirl (Mar 28, 2010)

The cost of shipping is going to be rough. I sent a 9#7oz box of birthday gifts from Iowa to OK and the shipping was $16.80. 

Is there a kitchen the students can use, not in their room but maybe somewhere in the dorm?


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

Here's a couple examples, including chili mac which may interest you.

Spanish Rice-Meals in a Jar - YouTube

Chili & Chili Mac: Meals in a Jar - YouTube

The blog site for Honeyville grains recipes also has some good ones.

Just switch the jar for vac bag. Hope this helps.

If you're set on canning, I would do meals without the pasta.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

The PO does have flat rate boxes. It's what I use for Christmas presents (that are usually full of canned jars of pickles, jams, etc). One price for whatever weight.

Moldy


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Have him use Ramen noodels for the Pasta.


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> He is not allowed to have a hot plate, but a microwave is ok, and he has one.
> I was trying to think of a 'quick and easy', open the jar, dump in bowl, heat and eat.....


Aw shoot. Well, it could be done by microwaving water to a boil. Not much different really.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

My son wanted similar..he got jerky peanut butter crackers and vitc drops...he is at a military school and allowed one underbed box andno mwave as a freshmen ...plus besides breakage..getting those jars back would be a problematic in my case

Amazon sells case lots of soups..organic minestrone -and free ship..turkey Chili...sauce etc


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

7thswan said:


> Have him use Ramen noodels for the Pasta.


when i was in college i used ramen forget the flavor packet that contains the high sodium flavoring , just a short time minute or two in the microwave then drain and add sauce and i had 3 minute spaghetti 

chill is good canned , same for BBQ pork pieces , and soups 

the pint jars make good drinking glasses also 


although there is a certain education that comes with figuring these thing out on ones own , learning about food so few know how to cook at that age I fell back on my boy scout cooking knowledge to have good food at low cost while in school.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

dehydrated foods can be done in a coffee pot with warmer just add the appropriate amount of water thru the pot it heats the water puts it on the dehydrated food in the pot then stir and keep on the warmer a while


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Meats


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

hes in college...its time he learns to boil water....angel hair pasta only takes 6 to 8 minutes. i am sure theres a way to do that in microwave...i am not familiar with microwaves.

they woulda hated me there with mu single burner camp stove on front steps cooking...lol


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I ate on campus this last spring at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh , i found the meal to be very balanced , when one hit the salad bar for a few things , it was all one meal price to have the entree and salad , and even ice cream , i think it has more to do with their choices than availability , at least at that cafeteria 

I had gone to a commuter school with no on campus housing i just had an apartment or rented room close by depending on the year


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

looky what i found for ya laura....him and his roomates will love you...lol

[youtube]0Mv1z1h30LI[/youtube]


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## nostawmama (Dec 29, 2011)

they sell those microwave pasta things elkhound posted at our walmart- near the registers they have a lot of As Seen On TV items.


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## netskyblue (Jul 25, 2012)

Another idea: shredded chicken or pork, just heat with some BBQ sauce and put on a bun. You can also do roast beef chunks (large chunks keep their shape better) and either canned or dehydrated potatoes (for mashed).


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## Space Cowboy (Apr 26, 2008)

When I want a quick leftover meal, I sometimes just pour the heated "spaghetti sauce" over a piece of bread and butter. Same carbs, no pasta cooking. Use some nice wheat bread and it's probably better for you. I also top it off with some shredded cheese....

SC


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Smalltowngirl said:


> The cost of shipping is going to be rough. I sent a 9#7oz box of birthday gifts from Iowa to OK and the shipping was $16.80.
> 
> Is there a kitchen the students can use, not in their room but maybe somewhere in the dorm?


I just shipped a 15lb box, Priority (2-3 Days) it was 22.00!! It arrives Thurs
If I would have sent it parcel post it would have been 13.00. It would arrive next monday. He needed the stuff ASAP.
Next time it will be smaller, and go parcel post. 
Shipping from Indy to North of Manson City IA is a haul!!
They do not have access to a kitchen / kitchen area. It's a super small school.



elkhound said:


> hes in college...its time he learns to boil water....angel hair pasta only takes 6 to 8 minutes. i am sure theres a way to do that in microwave...i am not familiar with microwaves.
> 
> they woulda hated me there with mu single burner camp stove on front steps cooking...lol


He's pretty good at fending for himself.....I was just trying to make this one less thing for him to have to fool with. Open jar, dump in bowl, heat, eat, wala. HAHAHA. 



netskyblue said:


> Another idea: shredded chicken or pork, just heat with some BBQ sauce and put on a bun. You can also do roast beef chunks (large chunks keep their shape better) and either canned or dehydrated potatoes (for mashed).


I am guessing with the pressure canner, the sky can be the limit? That would be awesome to be able to send different meals to him.



Space Cowboy said:


> When I want a quick leftover meal, I sometimes just pour the heated "spaghetti sauce" over a piece of bread and butter. Same carbs, no pasta cooking. Use some nice wheat bread and it's probably better for you. I also top it off with some shredded cheese....
> 
> SC


THIS is a smashing good idea!
My daughter is in culinary school (baking and pastries right now) and she comes home with LOAVES of bread. A lot of kids in class do not want the bread they have made, and she takes IT ALL!! We just wrap it up and freeze it.
I can ship the boy GOOD bread and can things that will go with!!
This is such a smashing great idea!!

As far as getting the jars back, I will see him at the end of this month, he will come home in Nov, Dec. March (unless hockey is in the way, then I will go to him in march). I will make a trip to see him late Jan early Feb, and schools out at the end of April. So I will have plenty of opportunities to get the jars back.

I cannot than you enough! Keep the ideas flowing......they are AMAZING!!


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

My son doesn't always get off work before the chow hall closes. I bought him a couple of plastic totes that fit in his closet. I filled them with store bought goodies. Chili, soup, ravioli & sauce. Microwave mac & cheese. I didn't want him going to bed hungry, or having to drive into town to buy a fast food supper. Then I keep more of the same at home, so he can take what he wants and replenish what he uses.

I also didn't want him to have to store empty jars to bring home. He isn't patient enough for that, and would toss them. I hate to say it, but both kids hate having canning jars "cluttering the place up" and I have found them int he recycle bin. Neither kid appreciates the home cooked goodness of home canned foods, and neither one appreciates how expensive jars are. 

My daughter gained a little appreciation. When she was stationed in Germany, and when she was deployed to Iraq, getting a care package from Mom with some of my home made jellies, and one or two quarts of homemade cranberry sauce in time for Thanksgiving, and enough to share.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

||Downhome|| said:


> I got a result on this page,
> 
> canning macaroni dishes.
> 
> ...


I, personally, would not use this recipe. For the simple reason that it says to use a hot water bath canner. With the addition of the pasta, there is no way that you could get your sauce acidic enough (and still be edible) to have the acid content of the entire dish high enough to be safe.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Shipping food packages: been there, done that.

I also think it would be very expensive, (as you've already found out), to send filled glass jars, not even considering the possibility of breakage.

Jackie Clay is the homesteading maven almost everone respects and she does not eat anything without bringing it to a boil first, even though she knows she followed all the proper canning procedures. It would be really hard to duplicate that in a microwave. You can find lots of articles and answers to question from her online. Just search 'Jackie Clay, canning'. You should get lots of hits.

Getting back to packing your sweet boy a goodie box. Make homemade cookies, lots of them. Dried snacks like raisins and/or cranberries. Those 'summer' sausages that don't require refrigeration until after you open them. Oodles soups. Packages of peanuts. Peanut butter cups (almost a little nutritious). Beef sticks. Those combination packs of cheese and crackers. Tuna in foil. Some of his favorite crackers. 

I'll be back if I think anything more.


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## netskyblue (Jul 25, 2012)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> I am guessing with the pressure canner, the sky can be the limit? That would be awesome to be able to send different meals to him.


Pretty much... There are a few things not recommended by the USDA as "safe" for home canning. See this blog post for a good listing: Creating Nirvana: Things That Should Not be Canned

(that's not to say that people *don't* can these things, and maybe no one *has* gotten sick from them yet, but I personally wouldn't take the chance)

You can also can ground beef - he can drain off the liquid and add sloppy joe sauce (which you could make at home and can, too). Or he could add the hamburger to pasta sauce. You can do meatballs, chicken soup (just add cooked noodles after opening the jar), beef stew, etc. My grandma used to can apples that were cooked in some kind of sauce/juice with red hots (the candy) for dessert. My cousin LOVED them.

Is your son going to NIACC? My Ex-H is from up there.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Pasta takes what? five minutes to make (once the water is boiling)... whereas a quart of meat needs pressure cooking for almost two hours? Don't think I'd worry about cooking my pasta before putting it in a canning jar.

I'd can just the meat, don't know if I'd fool with sauce, because you can cook sauces easier and gentler than hard core pressure cookin... pressure cooking turns a lot of spices 'off' their original flavor. Mixing all of these items in one jar is a good idea, but in action your cooking the meat and torturing the sauce and pasta.

Pasta is too dang easy to cook... five minutes to boil water, five minutes to cook... throw in your jar of meat, open a jar of sauce and it's all good...


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

I would suggest he try preparing the pasta itself by boiling water in the microwave, then pouring it into a vacuum thermos containing dry pasta and letting it sit 5-10 minutes to cook. I've experimented with that basic trick to use water boiled in a solar oven to cook pasta and it does work pretty well, you just have to fiddle around with how much dry pasta and for how long before draining. Then, you could do some basic sauces and can those minus the pasta, to be mixed after the pasta is cooked in the boiled water.

I've lately been doing a version for myself, pan fry up ground beef with some chopped onion, mushrooms, sliced green peppers, stuff like that, add a bit of salsa and Ragu-type canned sauce at the end, and mix it all in together with a can of microwaved Chef Boyardee canned grak of one type or another. The canned mac and beef or the raviolis seem Ok to me and the pan-fried addition makes it pretty tasty and high-protein, too. OK, it's not gourmet but that'd be another way to get the pasta component into the mix. Bought at school on a stock-up off campus shopping trip, just giving him money for the canned part of it would save the shipping, too. They're around 90c a can at WalMart here. Ship him home-canned meaty sauces to mix with the commercial stuff.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

The big reason I want to send him things from home....
He is an athlete. 
The food that is served in the cafeteria and cafe are high fat, high salt, high chemical content foods. 
Especially the night before and early morning of game days, I want to make sure that he has protein, carbs, low salt, high vitamin/mineral content foods.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> The big reason I want to send him things from home....
> He is an athlete.
> The food that is served in the cafeteria and cafe are high fat, high salt, high chemical content foods.
> Especially the night before and early morning of game days, I want to make sure that he has protein, carbs, low salt, high vitamin/mineral content foods.


My daughter is an athlete as well. We have gotten her some of the GNC vanilla powdered protein. She uses that, peanut butter, milk, and chocolate syrup and loves those drinks! Other things she eats a lot of - Nutella on wheat bread, anything that can go in a wheat taco shell, Breakfast on the 
Go snacks, all kinds of breakfast bars/granola bars, breakfast sandwiches, etc. 
I know due to his situation he may not be able to make/keep all of these things in his dorm, but I have concerns about canning what you want to can. He can't boil the canned food before eating it for one, and for 2 if there isn't a recipe for it to be canned I'd be concerned he may get very ill.

I'd go for dehydrated foods and have him boil water in his microwave. You can do a lot of different foods that way - soups, stews, mac and cheese, pasta, etc.

Good luck!


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Another thing that you might want to consider is these bars.
https://www.herbdoc.com//index.php/Store/SuperFood-Bar-12-Pack

They are expensive, but they are organic, raw, and jam-packed with nutrition. If you are going to get them, I would suggest that you wait until they have a sale. In August, they had buy two boxes get one free...we got 6!


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## WoolyBear (Nov 9, 2011)

I read where he isn't able to have a hotplate, but what about a crockpot?


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

I know you were asking about home canning meals for your son. But I was wondering if you have given any thought to dehydrating meals for him? I've been looking into trying it myself. From what I've been reading on some of the camping/hiking blogs, you can cook pasta until done, dehydrate it and then when you are ready to eat you just reconstitute it with water (the pasta is cooked so no raw pasta taste) 

As far as home canning goes, I would stay away from rice and pasta dishes but I used the Ball guide to can home made vegetable beef soup and chili - both are really easy to can and give nice results. 
Also, I checked with our extension agent and despite what you may have heard or read online, they DO NOT have to be boiled before eating - as long as you follow the directions to the letter.


http://www.trailcooking.com/dehydrating101/pasta-grains[/URL


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Chef Tess' blog has come up on HT before Chef Tess Bakeresse: Emergency Preparedness and Everyday Convenience COMPLETE Meal- in-A-Jar Mixes (7 day Menu) She has some great home made dehydrated meal recipes. I keep 4-6 of these ready to go in the cupboard for fast grabs, day's I'm too sick to cook because even my youngest child can do these, etc. They are mostly add water and boil....something you could do in a microwave. I use my home dehydrated things....brings down the cost and increases the control you have on the ingredients.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Canned pasta gets really mushy. It's safe, but just really grossly mushy. It tastes better to can the sauce then add pasta when you want to eat it.
I can chili or ham/beans all the time. I also can any leftover soup. I have even canned soups with pasta in them, but it is just kind of gross with pieces of squishy mush floating in it.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

He also needs to be able to boil them ten minutes when you use them. You might be better getting him a mini refrigerator and sending him enough to last a week


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

beaglebiz said:


> He also needs to be able to boil them ten minutes when you use them. You might be better getting him a mini refrigerator and sending him enough to last a week



He does have a mini fridge.
He is not allowed a crock pot (what a crock...ha ha ha)


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

College will allow a mini fridge and a microwave, but nothing like a crock pot, electric skillets, electric countertop ovens, or even toasters. 

You can boil water in a microwave if you buy a microwavable pot/deep dish..it takes a few minutes, but boil it will..lol..

My son had food from home, every trip I made down to college or he made home, he got a box of "real" food. I still send him food..lol..and he is now living in an apartment and getting his Masters, but he still likes getting the "real" food. 

Beef Stew is a good one, and is easy to make/can.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

elkhound said:


> looky what i found for ya laura....him and his roomates will love you...lol
> 
> [youtube]0Mv1z1h30LI[/youtube]


Elk.....you rock.
I bought the boy one of these pasta makers (6.00 at walmart) and he LOVES it.

I am in the market for a pressure canner. The poor kid is starving.
Thanks so much for the ideas / suggestions, I really appreciate it!!


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