A Mom's Love - Preparedness List

Tips for Home and Garden

In The Kitchen Newsletter
July 18, 1999 Volume 1 Issue Number 17

Quick Tip: Iced Tea

Iced Tea or Coffee can be improved upon if the ice cubes are made of coffee or tea instead of water.* Don't forget some spearmint leaves.

*Found in "6001 Food Facts and Chef's Secrets" by Dr. Myles Bader Now you can buy "10,001 Food Facts, Chef's Secrets and Household Hints" by Dr. Myles Bader

CONTENTS:
Announcement
1. Y2K Tips:Tame that Pumpkin; "Some Things"
2. New Contest: Take Me to an Amusement Park!
3. New Feature: Send in Cool Summer Recipes
4. Your Fabulous Camping Stories and Recipes
5. Review of Cooking Links: Picnic Kit
6. Let's Get Organized: Send me your Pet Peeve
7. Cooking With Herb: A Tea Garden
8. Book Review: Hints and Tips; Two Summer Novels
9. Three Free Offers still included! Plus a contest!

I can't wait to hear your Amusement Park stories! Somebody send me an Amusement Park Story! I haven't gone to Kenneywood yet.

Third offer reminder:

By the way... remember I have added a third offer...if you recommend a book and tell our readers a little about it, I will send you some homemade potpourri. We have some book reviews too.

Poo! No one sent in any summer recipes or sandwiches. This is our brown bag lunch replacement.

How about some no-cook or very little cooking recipes for summer meals? -Ange

I'd like to see neat sandwiches or other things you can do with bagels. I love them and would like to find some different ways of incorporating them in my diet. Thanks!

~ Eileen

Replacement for Brown Bag:

NEW!! ALSO! Start sending in your tomato and zucchini recipes. I know we will need them! So...send in your cool summer recipes, please...include some sandwiches and ideas for bagels for Eileen. I will send you some potpourri (small envelope) Anyone have their first tomatoes????

Y2K Prep Tip:

Well, this past week on Sunday...I went to a birthday party for Maryann's mom who was 85 (Maryann is my neighbor) she had an island theme. Fish table covers, neon colored bowls and island prints. Her party featured a High School Steel Band. They were incredible! They even played a polka for Maryann's mom...now that was unique! I made blondies and brownies for the party. Kids want more blondies.

For new subscribers and as a reminder:

On August 11 you will be putting in potatoes, so you might want to look for the best place around you to purchase them.

You can be planting more beans, every week (a short row)

Mr. Jeavons in his book: "How to Grow More Vegetables"*

Gardening Tip*

When stems of cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkin grow into the path, turn the stems back into the bed's growing area to keep walkway clear. My daughter, Kelly, planted a few pumpkin seeds in a flower bed on the side of the house...I guess you know what is happening... Hope we get some pumpkins.

Again, remember, I live in the Mid-Atlantic States. If you would like to know what to start in your area, send me your frost date and I will look it up.*

*My reference book for Y2K tips gardening is "How to Grow More Vegetables"* ** by John Jeavons, an all-inclusive info book on gardening for beginners and advanced.

Mr. Steven's list in "Making the Best of Basics" is as follows: First was water, second was wheat, whole grains, third was sweeteners, fourth was cooking catalysts and fifth was sprouts and seeds, the sixth was Medical Care items and the seventh was Herbs and whole food supplements. The eighth is Camping Gear.

This week I am going to post a letter I got from a friend on a list I am on...in reply to a Y2K question I asked her about 3 months ago. The only reason I found it 'cause my computer broke...good from the ashes! Remember if you have any questions or you want further info e-mail me or reply to this ezine and I will look it up for you.

This is an excellent resource for all of us. I suggest you print this one!

From: Anna Krupnik-Boudreau
home page:
/www.escape.ca/~pboud/Anna/anna.htm

Do you know of any Y2K lists of stuff to stock pile. I need a check off list, since I have no clue, I have a clue, but I would like to be sure.

Caroline
"We've had some very animated discussions about this on another list I'm on. There are 2 computer "experts" on the list, both dealing with Y2K right now and they have opposite opinions about what will happen. One thinks it's a potentially dangerous situation with a domino effect likely, the other thinks nothing will happen at all except maybe a few glitches. Regardless, we all agreed that being prepared is a good idea. Generally, most recommend having a 3 months supply of "stuff" on hand plus some cash to pay for things like gas in your car.

Here's some of the things that have come up.

Alternate heat source.

A wood burning stove or fireplace. If the power goes, you won't have gas. You can use camp stoves, too. Make sure, either way, that you have proper ventilation. Also, make sure you have a stock pile of the appropriate fuel.

Most wood burning stoves can double as a cookstove if you don't actually have one of the big wood burning cook stoves. One of the benefits of a cook stove is that many have a tank at the opposite end of the fire where you can keep water hot for washing. And you can bake! I grew up on food cooked on a wood stove. Somehow it always tasted better than food cooked on the new electric stove we finally got!

If you don't have one and you're able to get one, make sure you know the rules about proper installment. I have an uncertified cookstove. It has to be on fireproof flooring that extends a minimum 18" from the front, 8" on the sides. It has to be 48" away from any walls and 60" from the ceiling. These are all minimums. I also have to use a seperate chimney. A newer certified stove would have different requirements, and the requirements for your area may be different. Phone your insurance company or fire department. Even though I have a wood/electric furnace, if we lose power, we can't really use it. The circulation is based on electrically operated fans, so even starting it and keeping it going means having to leave the door partly open for air circulation.

If you'll be using a fireplace, stock up on heavy duty foil so you can cook with it. You may also want to check out the camping supplies for pots/utensils that can be safely used over an open fire.

Drinking water

When storing water, make sure you use food grade plastic (2L pop bottles are good) and DON'T use milk jugs. The milk residues in the plastic will spoil your water. If you're in a cold enough area you can fill containers 3/4 full then leave them where they can freeze. If you're on town water, no power usually means no water (some areas do still get water but no pressure.) If you have a well you may want to look into setting up a generator to operate it and your fridge/freezer, too. If you have a generator, store some gas for it, too.

Personal use water

Aside from drinking water you may want to store water in other containers for washing and dishes. One way is to have a garbage can lined with a bag and seal the bag inside the can. You don't have to worry about food grade plastic for this. Have several of these and you'll have wash water for a good length of time.

First Aid Kit and fire extinguishers Medical Supplies.

If you require medication, see if you can ask your doctor or pharmacist to get you extra in case you can't get it later. General medications from over the counter are good to keep handy, too. Basic pain medications, cold medications, etc.

A Generator

If you can afford it, a generator is a good thing to have. It will keep your fridge going and newer ones usually have adapters to plug things in. If you have a well, it will keep the pump going. Some will also charge large batteries that you can use, too. These can get expensive, so you might want to look into used. Personally, we're looking into getting a manual pump for the well. For us, the fridge and freezer are not as much of a concern.

Food

There's lots you can do to build up your store of food. Buying extra food when it's on sale and canning the extra (go on the assumption that you won't have a freezer) is one way. Canned food, including meats, bought on sale can go a long way. Dried foods like beans, split peas, pot barley, dried fruits, etc. Packaged and bulk dry goods like pasta, soup mixes, flour and other staples. This may sound like a plus, but it isn't meant to be. In my Amway catalog we carry shelf-stable entrees. These are complete meals that can be cooked in a microwave or boiled in their package. They are a complete meal that can be stored without refrigeration. We also have (in Canada, anyways) shelf stable fruit juice concentrates...real fruit juice, not drinks. Actually, there's hardly anything that I need to stock up on for food, etc., that I have to go outside our catalog for. Since much of what we buy is in cases anyways, we tend to have a stock on hand all the time. Oh, that reminds me, things like dry cereal, powdered milk, etc. Buy a little extra every time you go shopping and it will accumulate quite nicely.

Don't forget things like sugar and salt. And remember to include "treats" like chips, baking supplies for brownies or cookies, etc. if you will have the ability to make them. Things like that can go a long way to improving your mood at a time when you may be under a considerable amount of stress.

The only downside to stock piling food is space. Somewhere you have to find room for all this!

Extras

Don't forget things like toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, soap, shampoo, and something to use as a privy. With no power the only way to flush a toilet is to pour water into the tank repeatedly. Assuming long term power outages, you don't want to waste water that way. A plastic bag lining a bucket with a seat will work well. Ashes can be used to combat the smell if you have them. (Gotta clean out that stove or fireplace, sometimes!)

You may also want to consider using disposable things like paper plates etc. if you are concerned about water. Especially if there are long term problems.

Batteries and battery opperated radios. Flashlights. Candles, lanterns and lamps with oil (double as heat and light). Strike anywhere matches. Board games, a deck of cards and other stuff to keep you and the kids occupied.

Don't forget pet supplies if you have them, including any medications they may need.

Extra blankets and sleeping bags. Extra warm clothing.

Boxes to move stuff from the freezer to the freezing weather if you don't have a back-up generator.

Method of communication.

If the phones go out, you may want to have some way to communicate. I've never had to encounter this myself, so I'm not sure how you would work it beyond a CB or HAM radio. Cell Tels sometimes work even when the phone lines don't, but then they're basically glorified walkie talkies, so that would be a good thing to consider getting.

Where I live now, we get frequent power failures, so many of these preparations that I'm talking about are quite normal. In fact, I found them to be a lot of fun as I was growing up.

While I don't think Y2K will be anywhere near as bad as the doomsayers claim, being prepared is just good sense! When the ice storm hit in Montreal and the northern states nearby, many were caught seriously unprepared. The power grid in Quebec was set up in such a way the when one went down there was a cascade effect. They struggled to get power into the city as quickly as possible but the smaller towns had to wait many weeks. Some of the deaths that occurred were because of things like using camp stoves without proper ventilation. Others simply refused to leave their homes and froze. I don't know how many died because of the power being out. Needless to say, many who live in the effected areas are much more diligent about being prepared at all times!

There are a lot more things that I probably didn't think of right now that I could add. For some real good stockpiling advice, ask a Mormon. They stock pile a year's worth of supplies all the time. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Here are some sites that may be useful. www.webconx.com/survive2k/ millennium-ark.net

I no longer have the URL but the Mining Company site has a section for LDS that talks about storing food if anyone has time to search for it. *G*

For those looking into wood burning

http://www.wood-heat.com/
http://www.chimneys.com/index.html
http://burningissues.org/bi/

Hope this all helps! Have a great day, everyone!

Isn't that just a dynamite addition to your files!

As moderator for Family Corner I am looking for Kid Friendly Summer recipes

Not really a recipe exactly. I make jell-o according to box directions. Pour into small Dixie cups ( bathroom size, 2oz.??) Put in freezer for 25-30 minutes, then insert wooden popsicle sticks. After they finish freezing, Let the kids peel off the paper cups and enjoy. They are great for little kids because they don't drip as they melt which = less mess! -Ange

P.S. Also works good with pudding. Just a little more messy to eat.

Yogurt Popsicles-Dipped

Send me summer kid snacks...Your kids favorites and I will send those cute little gifts to your kids.

And NOW

The Camp Stories:

Remember, if you send me one you are in the bag for the Aromatherapy gift!

A long time ago when our kids were small we camped to Canada and back in an old delivery van refurbished and completely remodeled by my husband. When in South Dakota we camped at a nice peaceful camp ground and since we had traveled most of the preceding day, we were slow awakening. The kids got up and were out in the campground playing and then came in to announce that they were starving for breakfast. I told them to please eat cold cereal since I was so tired. They said we didn't have any cereal and upon questioning, finally admitted that they had fed it all to the goats that wandered the campground. Needless to say the menu changed to pancakes!

Hi. I am a new member and am really enjoying your recipes, hints, etc.

When we camp, we "wilderness camp" which means that we bring pills to purify water, camp on state land near the water, and bring only freeze dried, packaged and a very few canned foods (due to the weight). We often have to carry everything quite a long way (1/3 to 1/2 mile) to get to the water (this includes the canoe). I told you it was wilderness camping!! The reward is that we are in a beautiful clean area where there are NOT a lot of people wandering through our campsite. However, we must hang our duffle bags to keep bears out of the food. We often see people with coolers wandering down the trail. We snicker and wonder if they'll camp next to us. When they do, we usually hear them yelling later in the evening, as a local bear steals their food out of the cooler (usually ruining the cooler). Then, of course, their trip is over with--no food!

Our favorite camping meal is Spam, pineapple and potatoes. We don't usually have Spam at home, but cooked this way in the outdoors, it tastes wonderful!

Ingredients (for 4 servings or 2 hungry people)

butter
1 can sliced potatoes (can substitute real potatoes)
1 can Spam, cut in four equal pieces
1 small can sliced pineaple in it own juice

After the campfire is ready, open the canned potatoes, drain water off and discard. Put a pat or two of butter in a cast-iron frypan and melt over fire. Add the potatoes and brown them well. Open Spam, cut it into 4 pieces, and set aside. Also open the canned pineapple, and set aside. When the potatoes have browned well, remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the Spam to the pan and brown it slightly on both sides. When the Spam is browned, add the pineapple and juice, and cook down, stirring and browning the pineapple a bit, as well. The pineapple juice will flavor the Spam. When it is ready to your taste, serve on a plate with potatoes on the side.

Also, for brown bags: how about using the new wrappers for sandwiches as a substitute for bread? Spread seasoned cream cheese over the wrap (onion and chive is wonderful, and veggie would be great, too). Put meat and cheese on it, chopped tomatoes and sliced lettuce, and a little salad dressing (your choice) for moisture. Roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. My husband really gets tired of sandwiches and likes these as a change. Leftover salads (potato/coleslaw/macaroni) in a refrigerator container make the lunch special.

I asked Ellie how does she keep the bears away from the food if they climb trees????~

Hi! My name is Ellie. Yes, bears DO climb trees--very well!!! However, you hang the duffle bag about half-way out on a medium-sized limb--not too small, otherwise the bear will break the limb with his weight and fall with the duffle bag and eat the food). The bag has to be high enough so that a bear can't stand on his hind feet and reach it, and the bag has to be down a bit from the limb so he can't easily snatch it. I know that it sounds high-tech, but it really isn't. There's a real incentive to learn this quickly--you get one chance per trip! haahaa

I like Spam, too, but it is VERY HIGH FAT, even the low fat stuff. It's saved for camping and Y2K. Yes, that's a good item to stock up on, however, it won't taste very good cold. Have you noticed how white it looks when you open the can? That is pure fat. Ugh!

Regards, Ellie

Caroline,

My wife and I manage a campground. But the funniest (NOW) story I can tell you happened when we first started camping. We were camped at a lake on private property at the upper arm of the lake. About 5 miles from closest house. We had been fishing and doing real well. It was our next to last day and we wanted to fish some more but we had these fish that needed cleaning. So we took the fish home and put them in our bathtub. Expecting to come home the next morning and clean them. We went back out to the lake and fished all night, then in the morning when we got ready to leave the car would not start. Instead of going for help we decided to see if our friends would come looking for us because we were supposed to go to there house that night. Meanwhile we forgot about the fish and the temperature got up to about 95. The next day I walked for help and by the time the tow truck got there it was late afternoon and about 100 degrees. When we got home you could smell the fish from outside and the tub was red. What a mess.

My favorite recipe for the campground is

R n R Chicken
4 Chicken breast
1 can sauerkraut
1 sm jar Thousand Island dressing
8 slices swiss chess

In an 8x8 pan put chicken breast. Drain sauerkraut and layer on chicken. Cover wit dressing and then put cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with a salad. ~

Mike

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eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww! Now, that Sauerkraut and chicken, I have to try!
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Cooking Sites

OK, I have a Special Request: "Afternoon: Could you please publish some e-zines addresses for recipes and such for us that don't have access to the web."

OK, Guys, are you up to the Challenge??? Anybody sends me TEN of these...that is E-mail Cooking Lists...gets a Grill Booklet I have from Betty Crocker...if you have it too...I will find something else.

Here are a couple:

Barbecue Mailing List:

To subscribe simply send an email message to: majordomo@ipass.net with one of the following commands in the body of your email message: subscribe barbecue (for postings mailed individually as they are received)

Cooking Edge Newsletter CookingEdge@aol.com from:Shannan Hearne Success Promotions

From Cyndi Webb There are six cooking type ezines listed in the NewsShop areawww.momsnetwork.com/newsshop/Cooking-Food-Kitchen/

A Cooking Link from one of my favorite magazines: Family Fun Has a Picnic Kit for you to make. This site has Everything About Watermelon. Oh, yes!

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Any great cooking sites you have found? Don't forget the e-mail lists. Send them in! I will send you a small packet of my favorite herb seeds! Or probably a small envelope of potpourri.

Guys, I am sorry..Bernie is riding around with your potpourri in the van. A teacher is sick and he is working day and evenings! He did say he would send them out for me this afternoon.

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Getting Organized:

Tell me what your pet peeve is in organizing your kitchen or anywhere else. NOBODY has a pet peeve??? You guys all have perfectly organized kitchens like I do, right...Sure am glad Bernie doesn't read these he'd be howling!

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Please tell us how YOU have organized your kitchen or your scissors and tape and such so that they remain in the same place and are THERE when you go for them... really am DESPERATE...what works for you????

Nita , Organize Wize™ Tips, tools, timesavers and books for the busy and those longing to be organized Brightly@bigfoot.com

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Bernie's tip:
Bernie likes really cold ice tea, so since we have been saving the pop liters for Y2K, he takes one of those and fills it with water in the morning and puts it in fridge downstairs set at colder temperature, then after he comes in from working in the garage/yard he grabs his nice cold water and throws it in a pitcher and makes ice tea. Usually there is ice tea in the pitcher when he goes outside but by the time he gets back in it's gone and he has to use tap water...Not anymore! aaaaaaand I don't have to hear, "Who drank all the ice tea??"

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Cooking with Herb

An Herbal Tea Garden:

First grow some mint:
Peppermint (mentha x piperita)
Chocolate Peppermint (mentha x piperita mitcham)
Orange Mint (mentha x piperita citrata)

Some Spearmint:
Spearmint (mentha spicata)
Kentucky Colonel (mentha spicata)

Fruity Mints
Apple mint (mentha suaveolens)
Pineapple mint (mentha suaveolens variegata)

Other Herbs:
Anise Hyssop (agastache foeniculum) lightly licorice
Chamomile (matricaria recutita)
Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)
Lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus)
Lemon verbana (aloysia triphylla)

Brew Your Tea

For each 6oz. cup of tea, use 1 tsp. of dried leaves or 1 tbsp. of fresh leaves in your teapot. Pour hot water over leaves and let steep for 10 minutes.

A wholesale place to buy spices and herbs: http://www.atlanticspice.com/AtlanticCatalog.html

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Book Review:

Hi Caroline,
I love your newsletter and want to share a wonderful book with all your readers. I'm extremely frugal (read cheap) so this was a library find. It's not a cookbook per se, even though there are numerous entries on how to cook and store food items, but more of a book on housekeeping.

It's titled, "10,001 Hints and Tips for the Home" by Cassandra Kent, Julian Cassell and Peter Parham, Christine France and Pippa Greenwood. Published by DK Publishing, New York, New York in 1998. $29.95. ISBN #0-7894-3520-9. (Now only $23.96.)

This nearly 700 page book, in a practical plastic coated paper cover, is full of useful how-to's. The subjects range from bicycle maintenance to utilizing space in your house, with gardening, cooking and cleaning ideas in between. It even shows how to make yogurt and lay tile in your bathroom!

Each page contains very specific how to's and many illustrations/photos to show you just what you need to do. It is very easy to read and understand, with clear and detailed instructions. Even though first published in the UK, the American version has non metric measurements.

I highly recommend this useful book. This cheapskate is going to breakdown and buy a copy! Now that speaks volumes.

Best Regards,
Christina

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