StormFood

Anybody want to share any really good recipes that don't require power to prepare (and, ideally, are made with non-perishable ingredients)?

M R E's (Said with only partial tongue-in-cheek!)

Oh, you said, really good...sorry!

no power AND no perishables? I've been searching .....and searching... even the raw food sites require a food processor or dehydrator...

quote:

Originally posted by Jennifer_4

no power AND no perishables? I've been searching .....and searching... even the raw food sites require a food processor or dehydrator...

Well, that's why I asked. It's not an easy menu to plan, but apparently we've got a few folks among us who may need some ideas over the next few days. In case it isn't obvious, canned/bottled foods aren't perishable--but many need heating to be palateable.

I'm a fan of antepasto type items--maybe canned artichoke hearts, tomato (fresh or canned slices), raw onion, some salami (small whole ones don't need refrigeration), black olives, cheese if you've got it (it won't go bad for a day or two)--with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

I keep my Coleman Camp stove and extra propane tanks handy! Can opener and bunches of baked or pork and beans! Also, if you know a storm is approaching, store up on some water and stock up on them sealed bags (just add water) of Alfredo, rice, etc... They do a pretty good job of holding one over! Also, keep some decaffe instant coffe on hand... If your stuck in a storm, leaded coffee will just increase your anxiety levels...

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

M R E's (Said with only partial tongue-in-cheek!)

Oh, you said, really good...sorry!

My boyfriend keeps telling me he's going to send me some MRE's and that they aren't that bad, honestly .... I am not all that unhappy he hasnt gotten around to it as I'm pretty sure that there won't be much difference between, say, the beef stew variety and Kennomeat.... I came across a lil website once where this guy was testing out some of the various MRE's and reviewing them, it was quite funny, wish I'd kept the darn link ....

http://hunting.about.com/library/weekly/aa112399.htm

Here's another one:

http://theepicenter.com/mre_military_meal_ready_to_eat.html

Miz Kitty,
For what they are designed for the MRE does it's job. And Honestly, Stormfood is one of the jobs it does rather well. No storage problems, and I have warmed the main dish more than a few times by tucking the plastic bag inside my shirt/vest/jacket to warm it with body heat.
I wouldn't care to have to live on them for long...but to cover a few days without the advantages of modern life, or a soup kitchen to visit, These will keep one from wasting away. Besides it is real fun to open the accessory packets to see what stuff was included !!

Last hurricane that knocked out power in Virgina we feasted well on sardines, smoked oysters, olive oil packed tuna, olives, shelf stable salimis, cheese food spreads (yes I know but those little glass jars keep really well), pickles of various varieties, and crackers. Was it what we preferred to be eating? Well not really but went really well with the warm beer!

Not very original, but how about a good old peanut butter sandwich, or peanut butter and honey?

got beer?

quote:

Originally posted by Hode

got beer?

Warm, yeah.

Seriously, talked to my mom twice today. She's sitting in the dark with the hurricane shutters rolled down and the power (i.e lights and A/C) off. I asked her what she's eating and she said coffee and canned soup heated on a propane stove.

Somehow, I don't think warm beer would add much to that menu, but I suppose it's a matter of taste.

The advantage to a storm power-outage, of course, is that you have time to prepare. Hopefully you've thought of ice, bottled water, and propane before anyone else has, and can stock up on them. (Keep ice in the freezer until the power goes out, then transfer to a good cooler.) We have a large propane stove and a barbecue grill, but they both are best used (natch) outdoors. Not easy to do when the rain's a-fallin. However, we also have a butane burner. It's the type they have at fancy brunch buffets where they'll do you crepes or bananas Foster to order. They require a butane cartridge, so make sure you stock up on those, too. During the Hurricane Isabel outage, we heated soup and made tea on this, and then lived on sandwiches. But it'll also be fine for any other cooking, so long as you only require one burner. I've used it at work to reheat Thai curry for a luncheon and sausage gravy for a potluck breakfast. It's a good idea to vent the room with an open window, however.

In general, you'll fare better if you're an experienced camper. The problem we have at our house is that if the power goes out, so does the well pump. So before major storms we fill up several large pickle buckets with water for flushing and dishwashing.

I'm a nerd about survival food.
I love Just Veggies, those dehydrated vegetables you can get at Whole Foods. They re-hydrate in hot water.
And...if you can't boil water...you can really easily live on those tuna packets they have now...just drop in some lemon juice...
And Luna bars...which are actually pretty tasty protein bars.
Hope you guys are okay. We're just getting rain.

We are under a very dark grey overcast at 7pm Tuesday evening. No rain here, but just east of Louisville rain increases considerably across Eastern KY. we may get a shower or two overnight...but that's it. we dodged the bullet 9so to speak) this time.

quote:

Originally posted by Jennie

The advantage to a storm power-outage, of course, is that you have time to prepare. Hopefully you've thought of ice, bottled water, and propane before anyone else has, and can stock up on them. (Keep ice in the freezer until the power goes out, then transfer to a good cooler.) We have a large propane stove and a barbecue grill, but they both are best used (natch) outdoors. Not easy to do when the rain's a-fallin. However, we also have a butane burner. It's the type they have at fancy brunch buffets where they'll do you crepes or bananas Foster to order. They require a butane cartridge, so make sure you stock up on those, too. During the Hurricane Isabel outage, we heated soup and made tea on this, and then lived on sandwiches. But it'll also be fine for any other cooking, so long as you only require one burner. I've used it at work to reheat Thai curry for a luncheon and sausage gravy for a potluck breakfast. It's a good idea to vent the room with an open window, however.

In general, you'll fare better if you're an experienced camper. The problem we have at our house is that if the power goes out, so does the well pump. So before major storms we fill up several large pickle buckets with water for flushing and dishwashing.

I agree! If your a camper you have most the tools! Just stock up on what inventory you feel you shall need... Here in Michigan the worst enemy lately has been Ice Storms... Darn Ice keeps taking down them power lines... Use the fireplace for heat (unless like the last 5 day event we had, there was a coon and siblings living in there), then ya make sure you have warm clothes to wear... But between my canned and boxed food inventory, my dual burner Coleman Camp stove, city water, I have had no problems! A little frazzled at our local utility providor for taking their time to get here (seems like we're always the last group)... But in reality, looking at the news, I'm darn lucky with my shortcommings vs. what folks down in the Sunshine State have to deal with...

OK - does not sound that good, but is actually quite tasty:

Mash up Vienna sausages with a fork and mix with sweet pickle relish and a little salt and pepper. Mayonnaise is good if you have it, if not, still okay.

Spread on bread or crackers.

We're already freezing two liter bottles and gallon jugs of water in preparation for Ivan, ice was really hard to come by as was bread. You know, why is it when something is in high demand such as bread and ice people get so greedy?? All I wanted was one loaf and one bag and people have carts full of ice(with ONE 12 pack of Bud on top) 6 loaves of bread, I was angry. ANYWAY, can't really think of any "recipes", we had alot of peanut butter and crackers, cheez whiz and crackers, tuna and crackers....spicy vienna sausages and my husband is a sucker for that potted "meat" stuff. We grilled mostly.

We didn't lose power with Frances or Charley, so we ate well as usual. But I don't think we'll be around for Ivan. We may load up the car and hightail it to, say, Utah or something.

I'm so incredibly frustrated and I speak for everyone in Florida. Enough already!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

We didn't lose power with Frances or Charley, so we ate well as usual. But I don't think we'll be around for Ivan. We may load up the car and hightail it to, say, Utah or something.

I'm so incredibly frustrated and I speak for everyone in Florida. Enough already!!!!

Talk about frustration..............my condo (directly on the beach) has had no power since last Saturday. The generator for elevator broke down so no one could come in and clean up water. The carpeting and walls are soaked...........and now my furniture is beginning to show the effects of the water I am glad I am not there but wondering when this is ever going to end so that I can start in on the restoration.

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

[quoteTalk about frustration..............my condo (directly on the beach) has had no power since last Saturday. The generator for elevator broke down so no one could come in and clean up water. The carpeting and walls are soaked...........and now my furniture is beginning to show the effects of the water I am glad I am not there but wondering when this is ever going to end so that I can start in on the restoration.

chezkatie, you have my sympathies, you really do...We feel so lucky to have dodged the Charley & Frances...nothing of ours was ruined in any way...But as we like to say in the baseball business: don't go down swinging at strike three... Didn't mean to kidnap the topic (again), but if we have to leave, we'll pack a cooler, thank you, and hope for the best!

Sorry y'all! The systems that keep sucking those storms up to Florida are providing the Texas Gulf Coast with unheard of lovely weather for this time of year.

Well get ours sometime though.


I keep a bunch of milk jugs frozen in my freezer all of the time, and they break apart fairly easily and the plastic can be peeled away for ice in a cooler.

Forget the bread and spread those mashed up "Viennies" on tortillas!

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

I'm so incredibly frustrated and I speak for everyone in Florida. Enough already!!!!

Alas, not yet. This from http://flhurricane.com which seems to be a board on which pro's, semipro's and serious amateur meteorologists try to outforecast each other:

In any case, Ivan continues to be a very well-developed hurricane, and save for interactions with Jamaica, should continue to maintain it's intensity -- or perhaps restrengthen a bit -- over the next day to two and a half days. The eyewall replacement cycle shouldn't be all that unexpected -- it's been awhile since the last one took place, and storms rarely do maintain this high of an intensity for such a long period of time. What would be unexpected would be for the outer eyewall to collapse and leave the inner eyewall, which is what happened with Charley...and would unfortunately lead to even more strengthening.

In the short term, a track over the length of Jamaica -- or perhaps just south of such -- is a likely bet. There's support for this from the models and the observations. I'd trend towards just south of the island with the building ridge to the storm's north, but it's still going to rake the island sometime tomorrow.

Longer-term, a path near the Isle of Youth followed by a track over the short end of Cuba is where I am leaning now. There's not really anything to force it to go further north or east than that. As an aside, the GFS seems to develop a peculiar weakness in the ridge currently to the north of the storm and propogate it westward, eroding the west side of the ridge and leading to the storm making an early turn northward. There are no indications this is taking place, yet alone will take place, so I feel that the Florida miss to the east can safely be put to rest. The spot near Cuba looks to be in about 3 days. NHC intensity of 140kt may be a little high, but not too far off.

Beyond there, I tend to favor a northwest-north-northwest-north track towards the Florida panhandle. This is consistant with my thinking from yesterday and is reflected in one of the threads from before...the particular one escapes me at the moment, however. The impending trough, I do not feel, will not completely pick up this storm. While the models are getting a better handle on the strength of the ridge now than they did with Frances, I think they are overdoing it with the extent and strength of the trough expected to turn Ivan. The observations, particularly to the south of the Mason/Dixon line, don't really support a sharp recurvature at this time.

It is of note that the storm should arrive to the coast in 4.5-6.5 days' time, depending on where it does make landfall. I believe 6 days is the most likely scenario for the Florida panhandle. It should also do so as a much weaker storm than it is now, albeit likely still a major hurricane. Think mid-3 to low-4 instead of 4/5. There is support in this track from the FSU Superensemble, which as noted in a previous NHC discussion follows this general track.

It's still too far out to pinpoint any set of locations, so everyone from NO east in the Gulf needs to watch this...but residents of the lower Keys and from between Biloxi and St. Marks need to watch this one closely. Pressed for a further narrowing of locations, I would look at Ft. Walton Beach to Apalachicola. In any event, this is going to be a storm that is going to affect a lot of people -- as it already has -- and I hope everyone's thoughts (and/or prayers) are with the residents of Jamaica for the coming day or two as this dangerous storm nears the island.

BT... you'd fit in well with the weather guys here at the TV station.

We had some tornados from Frances and really heavy rain. It was sporadic and spared the possibility of major flooding.

Hurricanes follow an odd track through VA. Richmond got flooded by Gaston, but 60 miles away I had a brief sun shower.

I feel genuinely sick for all the Florida friends. Kristi...maybe instead of Utah...hit the early Fall season in Vermont. Maple syrup and salt pork!

Here's this monring's projection:

quote:

Originally posted by Route 11

Kristi...maybe instead of Utah...hit the early Fall season in Vermont. Maple syrup and salt pork!

Route 11, that sounds nice. I adore real maple syrup on whole wheat pancakes. Come to think of it, I could use some of that comfort food right now!

I just heard that they (who are they?) are beginning to ration gasoline here in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Good lord....

quote:

I just heard that they (who are they?) are beginning to ration gasoline here in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Good lord....

"They" are your friendly local elected officials. We "seniors" recall the 70's when people with even-numbered tags on our cars could only buy gas on even-numbered days and odd-numbered tags on odd etc. I thought that was economically stupid, but in this case--with a clearly TEMPORARY and extraordinary shortage of gas in Florida and a need for people to get it in order to evacuate when told to do so--rationing seems to make sense. If you live in Hillsborough or Pinellas, look again at that forecast track for Ivan--and get your gas when you can get it.

I remember the gas situation from the mid 70's very well. I guess I classify as a senior now. I can remember taking my lunch hour one day to go to a service station and wait in line to get gas, because they were one of the few stations around that had gas.

quote:

Originally posted by BT
If you live in Hillsborough or Pinellas, look again at that forecast track for Ivan--and get your gas when you can get it.

Oh, I just went and got it. Not too crazy. Only had to wait behind one other person in line.